


The Woman with the Dragonborn

by Romantic_Khajiit



Series: Eagle-Eyes [2]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Alternative Point of View, Crush at First Sight, F/M, Jealousy, Modern Girl in Skyrim, Pining, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:33:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 29,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26021971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Romantic_Khajiit/pseuds/Romantic_Khajiit
Summary: Eagle-Eyes Part 1.5? The not-sequel that popped into my head while trying to work on other things...One-shot-ish bits of Vilkas’s perspective of some of the things that happened in the events of “Eagle-Eyes.” ...Or at least that was the plan... it might turn into a retelling of most of the story...(Insert obligatory disclaimer: this is fanfiction, I don’t own most of the characters.)
Relationships: Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Farkas, Vilkas (Elder Scrolls)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Eagle-Eyes [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1827730
Comments: 199
Kudos: 115





	1. First Impression

It was the middle of Last Seed, the weather was still warm, but was finally beginning to have the crisp breeze that signaled cooler weather was coming. Vilkas was just getting ready for his afternoon training with Ria when his brother ran excitedly around to the training yard...

"Hey, you three," Farkas yelled, clearly meaning the three Circle members on the porch, "come help me fight a dragon!"

...and then he took off back around the building with no further explanation.

Vilkas exchanged a bewildered look with Skjor and Aela... Farkas didn't smell drunk... but none of them had put much stock in the rumors they’d heard of a dragon attacking Helgen...

"Train on your own a bit," he nodded at Ria before hurrying after his brother.

He found him out under the Gildergreen with a pair of women that Vilkas had never seen around town before...

A Nord in leather armor, with dark blonde hair in a single braid down her back, and an iron sword on her hip; and a Breton in simple robes with short red hair and no weapon to be seen.

Vilkas tried not to get distracted by the observation that they were both quite attractive women... or by the pang of jealousy he felt at the fact that Farkas had somehow involved himself with both of them since that morning.

Part of him wanted to ask how such beautiful women had ended up talking to his oaf of a brother, but...

"What in Oblivion are you on about brother?" He asked instead, making an effort not to stare... particularly at the Nord... who looked right at him with an appraising, unimpressed gaze as he spoke...

By Ysmir... her eyes reminded him of the northern sea... a cold, fearsome, grey-blue...

Aela and Skjor caught up behind him and Aela asked something Vilkas didn't really pay attention to...

Farkas just grinned. "If there's no dragon I owe you all a drink," he shrugged, "if there is, you all owe me one!"

Vilkas just shook his head, looking curiously back at the two women while Skjor laughed. The women both smelled like the same cheap soap... they were only a little sweaty... the Nord's armor smelled new... and the Breton reeked of magic...

Vilkas was pulled from his thoughts as Skjor was saying something about letting Farkas buy them drinks and got interrupted by loud, distant roar... almost like the cry of a predatory bird, but much, much deeper and more primitive... clearly the sound of a huge animal... essentially, it was a sound Vilkas would imagine coming from a dragon...

Vilkas looked in surprise from Farkas, to the two women beside him and was a little startled to see the Nord woman looked to be trying not to laugh... they were talking about fighting a an ancient beast that was said to be the harbinger of the end times, and this woman was holding back _laughter_?

"These two escaped the attack at Helgen," Farkas explained, looking smug.

"Are the rumors true then?" Vilkas asked the women in surprise, looking from the Nord to the Breton and back again.

"I don't know what the rumors are," the Breton spoke up with a shrug, "but basically, the imperials were about to execute Ulfric Stormcloak and then a dragon showed up and sacked the whole town."

The Nord woman nodded calmly, seeming unfazed... almost bored...

"By Ysmir..." Vilkas muttered under his breath.

~

They all followed the Jarl's men out to the watchtower... Vilkas was amazed at the destruction... the Jarl's trained men were cowering in fear, and the two women from Helgen just bravely scanned the skies... to Vilkas's surprise, the Nord pulled an orchalum recurve bow from an enchanted pocket and readied a steel tipped arrow...

Then Vilkas heard the massive wings on the air as the huge, scaled beast of legend flew into view moments later. Vilkas swore... it was easily the most terrifying beast he'd ever seen. He quickly pulled out his own bow as the monster approached.

"Eagle-eyes," the Breton yelled, "is that the same dragon that sacked Helgen?"

"Nope," the Nord woman, who was apparently called Eagle-eyes, replied calmly as she took aim.

Vilkas stared in awe for a moment... the Jarl's men all panicked and scattered while this woman just stood her ground and starred into the face of a dragon, steadily taking aim... she fired her arrow straight into the dragon's open mouth and dove clear moments before the creature unleashed a massive gout of fire in her direction. Then the dragon veered toward him and Vilkas had to sprint clear of the fire breath himself.

He lost sight of her for most of the fight, shooting arrow after arrow from his own bow, several times not being sure if it made any difference...

Then he saw her again... she'd jumped boldly up onto part of the tower that was still standing... the dragon came in from another pass and she shot her arrow straight into the beast's wing joint... it was a one-in-a-million shot... the arrow buried itself deep into the cartilage and tendons between the joint and the dragon faltered.

Suddenly unable to control its wing movements so well, the dragon let out an angry roar before crashing to the ground with enough force to create a small crater.

Vilkas spared one more glance to marvel at this beautiful, fearless archer... she was still standing boldly atop the stones, just watching the dragon, still confident... with no signs whatsoever that she was surprised her arrow had hit where it had...

Vilkas was amazed.

Vilkas normally loved a good fight... the glorious battles that would be told of later in songs and legends... he would have loved the chance to bring down such a formidable foe on any occasion, but now, the sudden urge to impress this strange woman swelled up in his chest. He pulled his great sword back out and rushed the downed beast... he wanted Eagle-eyes to see that he was just as fearless... she had brought the dragon out of the sky for him, he would face this dragon head-on as well.

Of course his brother and Skjor seemed to have similar ideas about bringing down such a formidable foe... which gave the surviving Jarl's men the courage to join them...

Surrounded, with one wing that was useless, the dragon snapped and flailed frantically. Vilkas had several close calls, narrowly avoiding a thrash of the dragon's spiked scales, or claws... he hoped Eagle-eyes was watching... that she would be impressed at how quickly he could still move and fight with his big sword and heavy armor...

Then suddenly, Vilkas found himself on opposite sides of the the dragon's neck with Farkas... the brothers ever so briefly made eye contact before moving simultaneously.  
Proudly, triumphantly, they both lunged, running their swords in on either side of the base of its neck... just as the Breton mage jumped onto the damn thing's head, blasting lightning into the top of its skull.

Vilkas hung on, making sure to dig his sword in deeply as the dragon thrashed in what Vilkas hoped were death throes... and then it was over...

The dragon fell dead, and Vilkas proudly pulled his sword free. He and Farkas shared a triumphant grin before Vilkas turned back to look for Eagle-eyes...

She was sitting on the same set of stones... Vilkas's heart fell a little as he realized she wasn't looking at him... probably hadn't even seen him... she was looking past him with an almost sad, longing look in her eyes, and Vilkas's heart fell more as he followed her gaze to where Farkas was grinning up at the Breton woman who was still standing on top of the dead dragon.

Vilkas looked back to the archer as the mage jumped from the dragon into Farkas's outstretched arms...

She hadn't even seen him... she was watching his brother... her expression was mostly neutral, but he saw the distinctive look of heartbreak in those beautiful eyes...

Vilkas had never felt so miserable after such a victory...

But before he could decide to approach her, to tell her how impressive she’d been, his attention was drawn back to the dragon corpse beside him. He jumped with a start as the dragon began to move again... at first he thought it wasn't actually dead, but then, instead of getting up, it's very flesh burned away, into a rush of light and power that all flew to the Breton mage that his brother had only just let go of...

The Dragonborn, Vilkas realized... the dragons were back, so the gods had sent them a dragonborn...

But why in Oblivion was she a Breton mage, and not the impressive Nord archer before him?

And what was more... why, for the love of Talos, did the most beautiful warrior Vilkas had ever seen stare so longingly at his damn brother?


	2. Chapter 2

The next day Vilkas's mood hadn't improved.

Farkas had gone to assist the Dragonborn... it was a legendary honorable mission that songs would surely be sung of...

...and Vilkas had gone to the Bannered Mare to try not to think about it.

He knew Farkas was sweet on the Dragonborn from the brief conversation they'd had before the three of them left... but it didn't relieve the jealousy he felt when he recalled the way Eagle-eyes had stared after his oblivious brother...

Drinks didn't help...

The blonde, busty, flirtatious barmaid bringing him drinks didn't help either...

She made it worse actually, because now, every time the silly woman 'accidentally' showed off more of her chest than was entirely proper, Vilkas just found himself wondering what Eagle-eyes would look like in a dress like that...

He barely knew the woman, but he was certain she'd have better sense than to ever be seen spilling out of her top like that...

No... she'd wear something more respectable... something he could take off of her in their private room... where he could press her up against a wall and kiss all the way down...

Vilkas shook his head... this was ridiculous... he really didn't even know the woman... he felt ashamed of where his mind went with just the image of her...

But it wasn't like he didn't _want_ to know more about her... he would certainly want to get to know her before acting on any of his... questionable fantasies...

No, drinks and barmaids certainly weren't helping. He gave up on that idea and just took to sulking around Jorrvaskr in the days that followed.

Most people assumed he either missed Farkas, or was jealous that his brother was off on an epic adventure without him. Both of which were actually part of it, but Vilkas was relieved no one seemed to know the part that bothered him most.

Then, one morning, rather late morning actually, Vilkas was lazily and grumpily heading upstairs, when a new scent in their hall caught his nose...

Vilkas did a double-take... the mysterious woman that had plagued his thoughts for the last week had just come in the front door.

Vilkas stared in shock for a moment... it smelled like she was alone... and she looked much less confident now...

Vilkas quickly composed himself... he was going to actually approach her and speak to her this time...

It made him a little more confident to notice that she looked like she wasn't sure if she was trespassing or not. She looked surprised to see him, but he could hear her heart beating as he approached... she wasn't afraid... maybe a little nervous, but mostly she seemed curious...

"Did you just wander in?" He asked curiously.

"Basically," she replied with a shrug, "Farkas said I should come see about joining," she added uncertainly as if she expected to be challenged on that claim... Vilkas could have hugged Farkas...

"Did he now?" Vilkas raised his eyebrow trying to not to smile too much as he took the excuse to get a good look at her... in the light of the mead hall, and apparently not so angry, her eyes reminded him more of a tranquil mountain lake than the North Sea... her hair made him think of grain, ready for harvest, and her skin was surprisingly smooth and soft looking for a warrior...

By Ysmir... she was beautiful...

"You were with the Dragonborn, right?" He asked, trying to sound casual, "the other day when we fought the dragon?"

"I... uh, yes..." she replied, sounding and looking more surprised. That hurt his pride a little... she really had no idea he'd been watching her...

He asked a few questions about Farkas, mostly because he was genuinely concerned about how his brother was doing... but he still made note of how she seemed a little grumpy as she explained that the Dragonborn was only allowed one companion for some test the Greybeards gave her... and apparently she'd chosen Farkas...

Vilkas was at least relieved to hear Farkas was doing well, both getting along with the Dragonborn, and helping her.

He also noticed that Eagle-eyes seemed surprised he'd asked... he looked her over curiously again... he wondered what ridiculous stories his brother had told for her to be surprised by that... he thought about asking but decided that could wait.

"Come on then," he said instead, still trying not to smile too much, "you should speak with Kodlak."

She followed him wordlessly, and Vilkas felt like his heart was nearly beating out of his chest as he led her down the stairs.

Of course Kodlak was willing to let her join them... after what Skjor had told him of the dragon fight and what Aela had told him of her assistance with the giant...

Vilkas might have been a little over enthusiastic if the knowing smile the old man had given him was anything to go by...

Eagle-eyes seemed thoroughly surprised and a little intimidated by Kodlak, which amused Vilkas honestly...

And then Kodlak asked her name... and instead of the name he'd heard the Dragonborn call her, or the name Farkas had referred to her by later, she said, "Katie."

Vilkas was so surprised he didn't catch entirely what Kodlak said next, until the old man was speaking to him directly.

"Alright boy, take her to the yard and see what she can do with a blade."

"Aye," Vilkas nodded, hoping he didn't sound too eager.

Then Kodlak looked back to the woman and warmly added, "go with Vilkas and see how you like training with us. Should you choose to stay, it would be my honor to welcome to the Companions."

"I... thank you, Harbinger..." she nodded. She looked absolutely shocked as she turned to follow him.

Katie... Vilkas repeated the name in his mind... probably her first name... or her real name... Eagle-eyes could easily be a title or a nickname... he could easily see how she could earn such a name...

She still looked shocked when he glanced back to ask her and her wide eyes staring up at him like that made him forget what he'd been about to say... he gave her a smile that he hoped wasn't obviously nervous and turned to continue up the stairs.

They made it outside by the time he regathered his wits and thought out how to ask his question...

"So, as I recall," he began, still trying to sound casual, "when we were getting ready to fight that dragon, the Dragonborn called you something else."

"Oh, uh... yeah, uh... Eagle-eyes," she nodded, and Vilkas was surprised to notice she sounded embarrassed. It made him curious how she'd stand up to a little teasing...

"Eagle-eyes," he repeated with a smile, "you're that good are you?"

"My eyesight is," she shrugged, and Vilkas couldn't help but chuckle, she was modest...

"From what I've seen and heard, so is your aim," he smirked.

At that she looked back at him in obvious surprise and asked, "and how much have you seen and heard of me?"

Vilkas had to look away from her... he knew she had no idea he'd been watching her, but he had at least expected her to remember he'd been there...

He looked out at the training yard for a moment... debating how much he should admit to...

"I was at the fight at the watchtower," he told her at last without turning around... he heard her take in a very quiet but sharp breath at that and glanced back over his shoulder at her... so she did remember he'd been there... he could see that much in her expression... "I know it was your arrow in the dragon's wing joint that downed the beast," he added, watching for her reaction... she looked more surprised... "and I know you put more arrows in it than most of the Jarl's men combined..."

Vilkas had trouble keeping the smirk from his face... she looked stunned... it was written all over her face; it wasn't that she didn't realize he'd been there, it wasn't that she just didn't realize he'd been watching her, she was surprised he remembered her... that gave him a bit more of his usual confidence back as he got his sword and shield ready...

Vilkas was surprised but thrilled to discover there actually were things he could teach her... he didn't understand how she could be so good with a bow but almost completely untrained in any close combat...

He knew her primary weapon would probably always be the bow, so he tried to find things that would work best for her as a secondary option... two handed weapons were out, and it only took seeing one attempt at a block to see she should definitely focus more on dodging than blocking... when he realized she was ambidextrous dual wielding was a clear option... then it was just a matter of figuring out which two weapons would work best...

He loved the way he could see determination in her eyes with each new weapon he had her try. He did eventually figure with the right training she'd be quite deadly with a dagger and short sword, but he might have gotten a little carried away and kept her out in the training yard entirely through lunch...

He decided to give her his old hunting dagger by means of apology, which she definitely seem shocked but grateful for...

Vilkas was in a better mood than he'd been in in weeks as he went to clean up for dinner...

Katie... Eagle-eyes... he liked those names... she wasn't just pretty, she had the makings of an excellent all-around warrior... her archery skills still amazed him, but her determination, despite being obviously tired by the end of the afternoon had really impressed him. Vilkas wasn't sure he'd ever smiled that much training a new blood... she worked hard... he liked that...

Vilkas was still grinning as he went back upstairs... he was looking forward to talking more with her at dinner...

But then he got to the main hall and his good mood deflated completely... he came up the stairs to find she'd already settled herself in at the foot of the long table with the rest of the whelps, smack in between Ria... and Torvar... and Torvar was already drunk... leaning with an arm around Katie's shoulder... and to make matters worse, she didn't seem to mind.

He sat across from the lot of them listening grumpily... the sound of her laughter was both beautiful and stung his heart at the same time...

Vilkas debated if he should just go over to them and break Torvar's arm... he was giving it serious consideration, especially when Torvar leaned in particularly close... he thought he saw Katie look uncomfortable with that... but as dinner wore on, she seemed to settle in, and just seemed to be happy.

Vilkas couldn't understand it... how could she be enjoying that drunk's company more than his? Why would she stare after his brother like she had, and now be letting this drunkard hang all over her, but distinctly turn away from him when he caught her eye?

It stung even more when she got up from dinner... she looked over at him... and then clearly, specifically sought out Aela...

Vilkas felt like he'd been slapped in the face as he watched her walk downstairs with Aela and Ria.


	3. Observations

To Vilkas's bewildered disappointment, Katie seemed to practically avoid him everywhere but the training ground... it made him a bit grumpy, but at least he could make the most of training with her. Out in the training yard Vilkas got her undivided —though frequently irritable— attention... and he found he liked having her attention.

She picked up techniques quicker than Ria did, and he loved watching the determination she practiced with. She was fast and strong, which was quite the unusual combination. But what really impressed him was how quickly and how well she could line up the perfect hit with her dagger or sword... just like she lined up the perfect shot with her bow from a distance. She was precise, with everything. Eagle-eyes was a fitting name for her.

It wasn't long before Vilkas realized he could train all out with her... she could take it. He wouldn't injure her like he would if he trained like that with Ria... Katie could actually make him break a sweat. It was fantastic.

He only wished he could get her to talk to him more outside of training as well...

As the weeks passed she settled in and quickly became an accepted member of the Companions. Vilkas was enthralled by her. She impressed him even more when they went out on hunting trips because he got to see her shooting again.

Previously hunting trips were just a necessary thing in Vilkas's schedule... a chore he had to go monitor Ria for... but now that he got to take Ria _and Katie_... hunting was quickly becoming one of his favorite parts of the week. He was pretty sure she must have been some kind of hunter before coming to them. She knew how to wait for that perfect shot, and she almost never wasted an arrow.

Vilkas wanted to ask about her past... to get to know her...

How had she ended up with the Dragonborn? Where had she come from? How had she learned to shoot like that? How old was she? Did she have family? Was she here to stay? Or was this just something to do while the Dragonborn was off with his brother?

There were so many things he wanted to know... but she was like a closed book on a shelf he wasn't allowed to peruse... it was driving him crazy.

There were still some things he'd been able to learn...

He'd committed her scent to memory within the first week she was at Jorrvaskr... and by Ysmir, it was a lovely scent. All people had their own variety of human musk to them, but Katie's was unique in a way Vilkas couldn't quite place. It blended intoxicatingly well with the lavender soap that Vilkas noticed seemed to be her favorite.

He also noticed she was a bit particular about her hygiene... she bathed twice as often as her other shield siblings, usually taking at least time for a quick rinse daily, and a full bath at least every week, usually twice a week.

At first Vilkas thought it was strange, and possibly a waste of time, but he had to admit her scent was the most appealing of any woman he'd ever smelled.

Without realizing it, he'd slowly gotten into the habit of washing a little more frequently himself... a fact that had made Skjor snicker when he noticed, but at least so far no one had commented on it.

Of course Katie hadn’t noticed a thing.


	4. Much Needed Sparring

Vilkas managed to get Katie and Ria into a comfortable training schedule, and afternoons training with Katie was easily his favorite part of the day. He could see her progress, she got quicker and he had to work harder to keep pushing her... they never missed a training day...

And then Farkas came home. She and Ria had been getting ready to go out to the yard with him when the front doors opened and Vilkas caught the familiar scent of his brother. Moments later Katie had turned toward the sound and Vilkas felt like he'd been punched in the stomach...

The way he heard her heart speed up and her eyes lit up happily as she looked, over to see Farkas... that beautiful look of happiness in her eyes made his heart speed up and break at the same time. Her eyes glanced to the Dragonborn next and some of the happiness dimmed in what Vilkas feared was jealousy.

Why? Why in oblivion did she look at Farkas like that? She couldn't have possibly gotten to know him in the brief time she'd been with him before the dragon fight... but if it was just an infatuation with his looks, Vilkas should have been able to steal that attention... for the love of Talos, they were twins!

Farkas had packed on a little more weight than Vilkas had over the years, and Vilkas preferred his hair a bit shorter, but those were pretty much their only differences... they'd been nearly indistinguishable as children, especially when they'd decided to wear warpaint like their father had...

But there she was, looking across the hall at Farkas with near adoration and her heart fluttering while Vilkas had failed to even get her to look twice at him outside of training.

Vilkas just watched as his brother took a deep breath and scanned the hall. He tried not to scowl in response as Farkas's eyes traveled straight to Katie and a grin spread across his face... which Vilkas noticed made Katie's pulse jump more...

"There she is," Farkas told the Dragonborn in a warm tone.

"Katie!" The redheaded Breton ran toward her with open arms and Vilkas saw a genuine smile spread across Katie's face as she hurried to greet her.

Vilkas could tell all plans of training were completely forgotten. He waved Ria off with a sigh before turning his attention back to the other new blood in his charge...

"You actually made it in the Companions?!" The Dragonborn said in a giddy tone.

"Told ya she would," Farkas chuckled, as the two women separated. Vilkas resisted the urge to growl as Farkas clapped a hand to Katie's shoulder and grinned proudly at her.

Why? Why did she smile back at him like that?

"My brother makin' you feel welcome enough?" Farkas asked with his hand still on her shoulder.

Vilkas tensed as he heard her snort... "I supposed so," she replied with a shrug. "Not sure he seems too happy I'm here, but he's training me, so..." she shrugged again and Vilkas just stood, staring at her...

Not happy? How in Oblivion had she gotten the idea that he wasn't happy to have her here?

Farkas looked across the hall and met his eye... he was pretty sure Farkas could read his emotions plainly and he didn't bother trying to hide them...

"Nah," Farkas smirked, looking back to the two women, "that's just his face. If he's trainin' you he wants you here," Farkas assured her.

"If you say so," Katie sighed. "So how are you two?"

Vilkas heard Farkas snort a little irritably at that.

"Ustengrav was a bust," the Dragonborn sighed, "I was hoping to talk to you about it."

Vilkas felt his heart clench... were they here to take her with them again?

Farkas put a hand on the Dragonborn's shoulder now, "fill her in, I'm gonna go see my brother."

Vilkas felt so conflicted as Farkas walked up to him. He was happy to see his brother, he genuinely had missed him. It was strange not to have him around, and he was relieved to see him looking well.

...but the way Katie reacted to seeing him stirred such ugly feelings of jealousy within his chest...

Farkas met his eyes again for a long moment before looking back to the two women.

"Don't worry," Farkas said bluntly looking back to him, "if I have anything to say about it, I'm not gettin' left here in her place."

Vilkas sighed, feeling a little defeated as Farkas clapped a hand to his shoulder and pulled him into a hug.

"It's good to see you brother," Vilkas replied, returning the firm hug.

"Thinkin' I need to train some more," Farkas smiled at him knowingly, "and you look like you need to hit somethin'. Come on."

Vilkas couldn't help but chuckle as he let Farkas drag him out to the yard.

Talking and catching up amidst the clanging of steel while they blocked and parried each other's swords was exactly what Vilkas needed.

Farkas and the Dragonborn had apparently handled the crypt the Greybeards sent them to just fine, but someone else had beat them to it. Farkas thought the mysterious letter they'd retrieved instead was a trap. The Dragonborn wanted Katie's opinion on it.

They didn't discuss how either of them felt about Katie or the Dragonborn... who's name was apparently Summer... but Vilkas could tell Farkas wasn't just sweet on her, he was smitten... and he suspected he wasn't keeping anything from Farkas either as he told him of Katie’s progress.

After lunch they put their swords and armor away to have a good old fashioned sparring match, and to their delight, Katie and Summer sat out on the back porch to watch. They'd sparred with an audience many times before, but now Vilkas could tell they both fought with much more energy than normal.

Finally, when Vilkas spared glances back toward the porch he caught Katie looking at him just as often as she was at Farkas... it wasn't much.. it wasn't enough... but finally, it was something.


	5. Jealousy

The next time Farkas and the Dragonborn came back to Jorrvaskr, they got there early in the morning, and after Summer finished monopolizing Katie's whole morning, she'd bid them all a farewell and went to the market.

Vilkas had had to report to the Jarl's steward about a job they'd completed, so he wasn't in the hall when she'd left, and when he'd gotten back to Jorrvaskr he found Farkas out in the yard... training with Katie...

And he wasn't training her like Vilkas did... Farkas had had her go put on some cheap heavy armor... he wasn't teaching her to swing her weapons properly, he was focusing on how she should move in that heavy armor...

It was completely counter to everything Vilkas had been teaching her, essentially an opposite fighting style... and training her like that, focusing on her movements like he was, it was much more hands-on... it made Vilkas's blood boil to watch...

To make matters worse, Katie had the most beautiful smile on her face the entire time, even though she was obviously exhausted. Vilkas even caught frequent grins flash across Farkas's face... was he trying to keep Katie's attention? Did he know how she felt about him? What happened to his feelings for Summer? Was he leading her on intentionally? What happened to their unspoken brotherly understanding??

Vilkas seethed as he watched from the porch. When they finally finished Vilkas just glared at them both as Farkas smiled fondly at her while he thanked her for training with him.

She didn't even glance at Vilkas as she headed inside to clean up. Farkas looked at him then, and his brow furrowed as he approached.

"What?" Farkas grunted, dropping into the chair beside him.

Vilkas took several moments before he was able to answer. "She trains with me," he growled at last, "and you're teaching her the wrong style."

"Won't hurt her to change up her style a bit," Farkas replied, clearly ignoring Vilkas's primary complaint, his expression darkening, "and you're not the only one who can fight in heavy armor," he added angrily.

"No, but you'll fight better when you use a style that suits you," Vilkas growled back.

"Pfff," Farkas dismissed, "she's strong, it suits her fine."

"Damn it brother, it's not only about strength," Vilkas snapped, "I've told you—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Farkas interrupted with a wave of his hand. "I'm not havin' this argument again. I gotta go meet Summer for dinner."

Vilkas just scowled as Farkas got up. "Going to tell her all about how you trained her friend to move her body?" Vilkas asked with a growl.

Farkas stopped mid-stride and turned back to him. “Oh I get it,” Farkas said with an uncharacteristic amount of venom in his voice. But then instead of any kind of explanation, “you should come with me, the barmaids at the Mare miss you,” he spat in an almost snide tone.

And with that, he turned and walked back through the building, and out the front door, slamming both doors as he went.

Vilkas just sat on the porch fuming for at least an hour. He knew he’d pissed his brother off, he was probably one of the few people who had ever seen that side of him, but he was a little confused as to exactly how...

Farkas had been the one training _like_ _that_ , with the woman he knew Vilkas was trying to woo... and somehow now Farkas was mad at him over it...

Did Farkas think he wouldn’t treat Katie right? That he’d hurt her or leave her for a stupid barmaid or something?

Sure he used to flirt with the barmaids to get free drinks out of them, but he’d never actually been serious about any of them... Farkas knew that... or at least Vilkas thought he did...

Damn it, what had his stupid brother told Katie about him?

Vilkas was still in a foul mood the next day. He could tell Katie was still tired when she came out for her normal training and it just made him even angrier.

  
  



	6. Finally Talking

It was a couple weeks before Farkas and the Dragonborn came back again.

It was enough time for Vilkas to have calmed down, and he tried to be happy about seeing his brother... he didn’t like that they’d parted on bitter terms, and at least in regard to seeing that Farkas was still ok, Vilkas was happy... but after his last stunt training with Katie, Vilkas would rather he be away longer... and he felt absolutely horrible for that thought.

But despite his mixed and guilty emotions, his jealousy and anger just flared all the more as Katie came excitedly out to the training yard in that damn iron again. The grin on Farkas's face when his eyes fell on Katie was almost smug, and just made Vilkas want to punch him.

Vilkas couldn't bear to stay and watch this time so he just took off for a short solo hunting trip without a word to anyone.

  
The next day Vilkas's mood was even worse. Katie hadn't even noticed he'd left.

She was slower than normal when she trained, clearly tired from whatever idiotic practice Farkas had had her doing yesterday. To make matters worse, she'd clearly been too tired for a proper bath and just taken a quick rinse before bed last night because Vilkas could still smell faint traces of Farkas on her.

Normally training with her put him in a better mood, but today, it infuriated him... the clashing of steel was only riling him up.

He swung in for another attack, and instead of parrying, she ducked and dodged out of the way completely. Vilkas almost stumbled as he actually buried the tip of his sword in the ground.

"What the fuck is your problem today?" She suddenly snapped, glaring angrily at him.

Vilkas blinked. "My problem?" He repeated as he pulled his sword out of the ground...

She had no idea what she did to him... she pined after his stupid brother who already had eyes for someone else, and for reasons he couldn't make sense of, she avoided him except for training... not that he could very well _say_ any of that...

"You're too slow," he growled instead. "Did you wear yourself out loafing around with my brother yesterday?" He demanded accusingly.

"Is that your problem?" Katie snapped back indignantly, "I trained with someone else yesterday, so now you've got an extra day's worth of pent up aggression?"

Vilkas scowled. His wolf spirit stirred with interest at this sudden spark in her personality. This was that bold warrior that had gotten his attention back at the dragon fight. Now, she made his blood rage.

He brought his sword swinging at her again, intending to catch her with the flat end and knock her down to make his point, but she got her sword and dagger up in time to block him. So instead he just kept pushing, bearing down, forcing her back toward the wall. Vilkas continued pressing forward until Katie couldn't back up any further... and then he pushed in closer until his face was inches from hers. Being this close to her made his blood race very differently. He could smell her so clearly now... her sweat... the blood racing through her veins with anger and adrenaline... her strong heartbeat... the faint traces of lavender...

...and the faint hints of the sweaty musky scent of Farkas and iron... his wolf spirit raged jealously... he wanted to make her smell like him, not his brother...

"Heavy armor doesn't suit you," he growled. Her grey-blue eyes glared back at him... they were definitely the color of the sea in a storm now. He could almost taste her anger in the air between them... by Ysmir, the things he wanted to do...

Then, suddenly, to his surprise, Katie shoved him backwards. The amount of force caught him off guard and he actually stumbled back for a moment.

As soon as she got enough space she turned and stomped toward the porch.

Vilkas looked back to her as he caught his balance... she clearly wouldn't look at him, but Vilkas could suddenly smell her tears and his heart dropped. He'd overdone it...

"And where are you going?" He called after her, "we're not finished!"

"I am," Katie replied angrily without turning around.

Vilkas started to call back out to her as she continued on inside, but she was gone before he found the words. He took a deep, tired breath as the back doors slammed. He'd really overdone it...

"Nice one," Torvar retorted from the porch. Athis snickered, and Ria rolled her eyes.

"Shut up," Vilkas growled at them before stomping inside after her.

She was nowhere to be seen in the dining hall so he followed her scent downstairs... to the women's washroom...

Vilkas sighed grumpily and went back upstairs. He slumped into a corner table and glared at the fire, trying to think what he should do now... should he just leave her be? Should he apologize?

As he sat Tilma brought him an ale which he accepted gratefully and drained fairly quickly. Not long after that Torvar walked up with two more mugs...

"You look like you need this," he chuckled.

Vilkas had half a mind to yell at the whelp, but if he was being honest he probably did need it...

Torvar was so amused that Vilkas had accepted the two mugs of mead that he brought him several more before Vilkas got irritated and told him it was enough.

He sipped slowly on the mead as he thought... her beautiful face running through his mind... the way she'd smiled so beautifully at Farkas, but then glared so angrily at him... of course he'd deserved her angry glares this time... he really did need to apologize... he hoped he hadn't actually hurt her... the scent of her tears was one he never wanted to smell again... yes, he should apologize, he should try to actually talk to her, and apologize for letting his temper get the best of him...

...But an hour later she still hadn't come back up to the hall...

Vilkas went back downstairs, thinking she must have gone to her bed... he was getting worried he really had hurt her...

But she wasn't in the whelp room, and it smelled like she was still in the bath... now he was especially concerned...

Vilkas went back upstairs and slumped back into his chair at the corner table. While he was gone it seemed either Tilma or Torvar had brought a few more mugs of mead. Vilkas rolled his eyes and started in on another mug, debating what to do now...

"Ria," he called, suddenly settling on an idea as the whelp came inside.

"Did you need something?" She asked in a polite, curious tone.

Vilkas sighed and pulled a healing potion from the satchel on his belt. "Do me a favor and see if Eagle-eyes is still in the bath," he sighed, "and... give her this, and tell her..." Vilkas took a deep breath, "tell her I'd like to apologize if she'll speak to me."

"A-alright," Ria nodded in surprise as Vilkas handed her the potion.

Vilkas slouched back into the chair as Ria headed off downstairs.

"You really think that's going to fix it?" Athis asked skeptically.

"Shut up," Vilkas growled.

To his disappointment, Ria came back alone.

"She said she'll think about it," Ria shrugged, "she took the potion though."

Vilkas just sighed and downed one of the meads much more quickly. "My thanks anyway," he grumbled as he set the empty mug down.

Nearly half an hour later, Vilkas was giving up hope, when the downstairs doors opened and the scent of lavender wafted up to the hall.

Vilkas just froze and listened to the sound of Katie's footsteps coming up the stairs... he wasn't sure if drinking as much as he had was a good idea now...

Finally he turned to look at her... he'd been planning to beckon her over but he entirely wasn't prepared for the sight that greeted him...

She wasn't wearing her armor... she'd put on a simple, long, blue dress, and her hair was hanging in damp waves around her shoulders. The dress wasn't anything like the revealing things the barmaids wore, but it showed off much more than her armor did... like the curves of her hips and breasts... it wasn't cut quite low enough in the front for him to see any of her cleavage, but he could see that her breasts were larger than he'd guessed from the way her armor fit her...

Ysmir... what was he going to do?

Her gaze found him and a skeptical expression settled across her face as she approached.

"Ria said you wanted to talk to me," she said in a questioning tone.

"Aye," Vilkas nodded. A feeling of relief washed over him, she was actually speaking to him. He gestured to the other chair beside his table. Katie raised an eyebrow skeptically at him, and for a moment Vilkas was afraid she would refuse to hear him out, but then she sat. Vilkas handed her one of the mugs he hadn't drank yet.

"My apologies, Eagle-eyes," he began sincerely, "I shouldn't have let my temper get the better of me..."

"No you shouldn't have," she interrupted in a quiet, grumpy voice as she went to take a sip of her mead.

Vilkas starred back at her for a moment feeling entirely caught off guard yet again. For a moment he wasn't sure how to respond, but then her glare softened as she looked over her mug at him.

He took a deep breath and tried again, "are you hurt?" He asked in concern.

"I'm ok," she shook her head.

Vilkas was surprised by that.

"Well, I'm ok _now_ ," she amended. "Th-thanks for that potion," she said quietly.

Vilkas felt instantly better and worse at the same time. "I thought you looked like you were trying to hide your pain," he admitted. "I am sorry for that," he added quietly, averting his gaze. He felt like that was an understatement, but he wasn't sure what else to say. He heard Katie sigh and then...

"What did I even do to piss you off this time?" She asked, still sounding angry.

"This time?" Vilkas repeated in confusion.

"Yeah, why are you always so mad?" She demanded. Her boldness peaked the attention of his beast blood again, but her words surprised him.

"I'm not..." Vilkas began, but he trailed off as she actually snorted in response. He blinked at her in surprise.

"Really?" She challenged, "a smile on your face is as rare as that scowl is on Farkas's." A small, accusing smirk played across her lips, and it was actually adorable... was she teasing him?

"Seems you've been paying a lot of attention to my face," he replied, smirking a bit himself... and, by Ysmir, he hoped it was true...

"Well when I have to see it every darn day," she grumbled in reply.

Vilkas chuckled and went back to his drink, pondering how he should respond... she wasn't the kindest, but at least he had her talking... it occurred to him to tell her that he liked seeing her face everyday...

But then she spoke up again, shocking him again...

"And why do you always go so rough on me and none of the other new bloods?" She demanded.

Vilkas just regarded her in surprise for a moment... was that how she saw their training? Like he was always angry and rough on her? She had no idea how much he loved having a training partner he could train like that with...

He smirked at her, "because you can take it... usually."

Katie just scowled at that. "What about Ria?" She demanded.

Vilkas raised an eyebrow and shrugged, "Ria's just a girl."

"And what the fuck do you think I am?" Katie snapped indignantly.

Vilkas almost laughed at that. What indeed... "A woman," he replied with an amused smirk.

The rest of the evening Vilkas was silently thanking all the divines. He'd gotten her talking to him. Finally, he was learning about her...

She hadn't intentionally divulged it, but he confirmed his suspicions on how she felt about Farkas, which still baffled him.

...but what bothered him even more than that, was the way she'd almost not known her own birthday... and they way she'd simply shrugged that off... the idea that she'd had no one to celebrate her birthday, and that seemed normal to her...

It bothered him that she could be so resigned to being alone... he made sure he'd remember it... the 7th of Frost Fall... he'd think of something to do for her, some way to make it special...

And hopefully he could convince her that he didn't train as hard as he did with her to be an ass...


	7. Attraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mature

As ashamed as he was about letting his temper get the better of him, Vilkas realized that pushing Katie to the snapping point that he had was also the start of... well, something... Vilkas hoped it was a relationship of some kind... at the very least a friendship, preferably one that would eventually be much more than that...

Katie had been the only new blood who could keep up with him in training like she did, now she was also the only one with the guts to mouth off to him. The fire in her personality impressed him, and soon their afternoons in the training yard involved as much banter as they did training.

As the weeks passed Vilkas began to realize it wasn't just her skills and her looks that impressed him, but her personality as well. She had a sharp wit that he actually found stimulating and endearing.

And oh how she got his blood going...

Vilkas did his best to ignore the more subtle aspects of the scents of most women... he didn't care to know how his shield-sisters' bodies cycled... in fact he'd much rather not know in most cases... but he found he couldn't bring himself to ignore the subtle changes in Katie's scent as the weeks became months...

The first time he'd smelled her in her fertile time of month he thought he was going to lose his mind... he didn't want to train with her, he wanted claim her... to pin her beneath him... to make her scream his name until she forgot all about his stupid brother...

Even when he used to amuse himself by teasing the barmaids at the Bannered Mare he'd never genuinely considered actually taking one of them... his beast blood had always been insistent on the notion that mating was an intimate and lifelong bond. A mate had to be able to stand beside him in battle as well as all other aspects of life... and a mate had to be worthy to bear his children...

Vilkas wasn't sure he agreed with his beast blood exactly on every aspect of those criteria, but one thing was certain; no barmaid was ever going to meet his standards. In fact, none of his other shield-sisters had ever met those standards either.  
The logical side of Vilkas's brain still wasn't convinced that Katie met all of those standards, but she at least had the potential to... and of course the more primal, bestial side of his brain was fully aware that she certainly met all of the physical aspects of his standards...

So her scent as her body shifted into her fertile time drove his beast blood crazy...

The first time he'd managed to at least pretend to ignore it... although he did get himself cussed out for almost pinning her to the wall again... she'd called him an "infuriating ass"...

The second month, he got it in his head that training in unarmed combat would be a good idea... and honestly it almost was, but, by Ysmir, the woman could fight.

She surprised him on several counts... first being that she'd managed a grappling move that effectively threw him on the ground... the second was that she almost got him pinned before he managed to flip her over instead... but the third, and worst surprise was once he thought he had her pinned...

Ysmir, she was so perfect looking beneath him... he was just about to lean down and tell her how beautifully tempting she looked like that... to tell her just how much he wanted her... it wasn't a secret he thought he could keep anymore...

But before he got any of those words out she threw her hip straight into his groin, pinching and bruising a particular sensitive appendage that had been at full attention since their fight first turned into a grapple. The hit instantly knocked the wind out of him.

By the time he managed to even sit up, Katie was standing several feet away with a triumphant smirk and the whole yard was full of laughter.

Thanks to Skjor, she knew exactly what his problem was, but the damn woman still didn't realize that she was the one who did that to him... she just thought he must be "the type to get off on defeating someone."

He shut himself in his room, resolved to just avoid her until her scent would let him think straight...

He was still in his room late that night, still a little sore... he honestly wasn't sure if he'd dozed off and just woken or if he'd just been in bed lost in his thoughts since dinner, but he was suddenly aware of footsteps outside his door.

He got up and was about to grumpily tell whoever it was to get lost, but then the scent of lavender reached his nose and he froze. There was a light knock at his door... his heart raced as he reached to open it...

"Vilkas?" She looked up at him with the same wide-eyed expression she'd had that afternoon when he had her pinned... and she was wearing that blue dress... and her hair was down... and she smelled so...

"Eagle-eyes..." Vilkas breathed as he looked at her... he was pretty his voice and expression gave away exactly what he was thinking, which just made the smirk that spread across her lips absolutely sexy...

"I just wanted to apologize for earlier today... and... to see if there was any way I could make it up to you..." she smiled that beautiful, adoring smile at him and Vilkas knew he was gone.

"Aye... what did you have in mind?" He heard himself ask with a grin as she stepped into his room.

"You don't really just get off on having some whelp pinned in the yard... do you?" She asked teasingly as she took another step closer.

"Only if it's you..." Vilkas admitted with a shake of his head. He took a deep breath of her scent as she stepped even closer... he didn't step back... just let her close the distance between them, watching, mesmerized as she gently trailed her fingers up his chest... he hadn't remembered going to bed shirtless but it certainly was convenient now...

"I realized I've been paying attention to the wrong brother," she whispered seductively as she wrapped her arms around his neck...

"Katie..." he sighed as he wrapped his arms eagerly around her waist.

"You're much more interesting," she continued, "and, I want you, Vilkas..." she whispered before her lips were on his.

Vilkas kissed her hungrily. When their lips parted he began kissing down her neck... down to her collarbones... then down further...

He hadn't remembered her dress having front lacings, but he wasn't about to question how easily her dress opened for him... she paused only to step back and pull her dress off entirely before she was back in his arms.

Vilkas almost questioned how she'd gotten his pants off so quickly, but he was long passed thinking clearly...

Somewhere in the back of his mind, as he let her back him into his bed, Vilkas knew this was wrong... he'd always thought he'd marry his mate before he bedded her, but he was far from in control now... he wasn't sure if it was her or his beast blood in control, but one thing was very clear; Vilkas was just along for the ride...

...and oh, what an amazing ride it was...

There was no question now... no option now... he _had_ to marry her... his beast blood would never allow him to have another woman... and Vilkas was completely ok with that...

He was slowly coming down from the high of his release, staring in blissful amazement as she still moaned on top of him—

_Why in Oblivion did she sound like Aela?_

Startled, and honestly a bit disgusted, Vilkas sat bolt upright in bed, moving to throw the non-existent woman off of him.

He blinked blearily, taking in his surroundings... his empty room... with the mess he'd made in his pants... and shirt... Vilkas sighed in frustration and dropped back to his bed.

Of course it was a dream, her words were obviously way too good to be true. He groaned grumpily as he sat back up feeling disgusted with himself.

It wasn't his first wet dream... not by a long shot... just the first one that was that vivid with a particular woman...

At least he hadn't actually dishonored her.

Then he realized why he thought he'd heard Aela...

Angrily, he got up, grabbed an extra set of clothes and stomped off to wash himself, and slammed Aela and Skjor's door shut on his way. They weren't very discreet, but they could at least close their fucking door.

The next morning Vilkas was planning to stick to his original plan of avoiding everyone a bit longer, but he overheard Skjor discussing with Kodlak... Skjor wanted to send Katie for her official trial... and he wanted Aela to be her shield-sister... he was going to send two archers into a mine that had been overrun with draugr...

Vilkas got dressed and into his armor and was hurrying into Kodlak's study just as Aela was arriving for him to brief her on their mission.

"Harbinger, please," Vilkas interrupted, "let me be Katie's shield-brother."

Kodlak raised an eyebrow at him in surprise and Aela snorted, but neither of them argued, clearly waiting for him to explain himself.

"They're both primarily ranged fighters, in a mine of draugr they could be overrun too easily."

Aela looked insulted but held her tongue.

"You doubt her skills, boy?" Kodlak asked gently.

"Not in the slightest," Vilkas shook his head, "I just think it's too much risk for a formality."

Kodlak smirked and raised his eyebrow at that, making Vilkas pause... her trial was just a formality... right? No one actually still thought she needed to prove herself... did they?

But then Kodlak chuckled, "alright boy, you can go."

Vilkas let out a sigh of relief that made Aela look more insulted.

"Though if this was more than a formality I might have to protest..." Kodlak added with another chuckle.

Vilkas felt his face darken in embarrassment at that and Aela snorted again.

Great, Vilkas thought grumpily, the whole Circle had him figured out... and the woman he’d fallen for still didn’t have a clue...


	8. Better Reactions

To Vilkas's irritation, Aela still stuck around while Kodlak gave him the rest of the details of the job. He'd caught most of them, already, some miners had accidentally tunneled into an old crypt and now there was a whole mine out of commission as it had been overrun with draugr. The Companions were going to clear them out so the miners could seal up the hole and get back to work. Vilkas figured it should be a pretty simple matter for Katie... honestly, she and Aela would likely have been fine.

"That walk 'll probably take a week," Aela commented, looking at the map over his shoulder, "especially if you're going to show her some more grappling moves..."

"Shut up," Vilkas growled... he had no better response... he hoped he'd gotten himself cleaned up well enough that Aela couldn't smell anything about how his evening had gone, but the teasing smirk she gave him told him that probably wasn't the case. Aela actually gave in to her beast blood, so her senses were sharper, more honed. There was likely very little he could actually hide from his shield-sister.

"I was thinking we'd take a horse," he added grumpily several moments later.

Aela just snickered at him before heading out the door. Then he heard Aela say something to the effect of "there you are," and he hurried after her before she could tell Katie anything too embarrassing.

"Skjor said you're going to be my shield-sister?" Katie asked Aela, looking nervous and excited.

"I was," Aela shrugged, "seems there's been a change of plans though. Vilkas called dibs on you," she said as she motioned back toward Vilkas. Vilkas just glared at Aela... she was clearly implying things, but Katie didn't seem to catch that.

"Why?" She asked, sounding surprised, and a little annoyed.

That stung. Reality was a far cry from the dream he'd had.

"Kodlak doesn't think its a good idea for two primarily ranged fighters to go into a mine full of draugr, so you get me instead," Vilkas explained, trying not to sound too gruff or angry over her reaction... and it was at least mostly true... Kodlak had agreed with him.

Aela just chuckled and rolled her eyes at him as she walked past. Katie looked thoroughly irritated with him now.

"Are you going to get ready to go or just stand there glaring at me?" Vilkas asked he asked her, trying not let the hurt show in his voice.

"Oh you're one to talk about glaring," Katie retorted. "Are you gonna be this grumpy the whole trip?"

"Just hurry up," Vilkas grumbled before he walked passed her to get his own things.

He was still grumpy as he walked back down the hall toward the whelp room... Katie was packing her things with her back to the door, clearly lost in thought.

"Meet me at the stables when you're ready," he told her quietly. He didn't entirely mean for it to, but it came out as a bit of a grumble... and Katie... jumped...

The fearsome woman who could stare down a dragon and cuss him out while he swung a great sword at her face, had just jumped like a startled rabbit...

Vilkas couldn't help the smirk that spread across his face as he tried not to laugh... and that seemed to fluster her...

Flustered, Vilkas thought, that was a new reaction... he liked that reaction...

Feeling suddenly considerably better as he left her to finish her packing, Vilkas collected the food rations Tilma had prepared for them, and then made for the stable.

He rented the large stallion that he knew to be one of the stable's finest... he was a large black animal that was sure-footed and good tempered, and would handle the mountain road without trouble.

He was just finishing saddling the horse when he heard and smelled Katie approaching.

He gave her a quick look over his shoulder. She had very little in the way of a gear bag visible, but he had noticed she seemed to prefer to tuck as much as she could into the enchanted pockets of her armor. They should both fit in the saddle if she was comfortable with that...

"On horseback we should make it there with only one overnight. You can rent your own horse, or ride with me, your choice," he told her as casually as he could.

His heart rate picked up as he watched her consider his offer... she looked carefully at the horses, and then her eyes traveled to him...

"I can just see it now," she said with a smirk, "you explaining to Kodlak how I got impaled when the horse started running while I was trying to fit in the saddle behind you."

Vilkas rolled his eyes and turned to mount the horse. He expected that meant she had decided to get her own horse, but the hint of a laugh in her voice made him hopeful. He scooted back in the saddle... "I'll let you ride in front," he offered, hopefully holding his hand out to her.

"I guess there is less to impale myself on that way..." Katie sighed as she took his hand.

Vilkas barely suppressed his grin as that comment brought his mind back to his dream the night before and a very different kind of riding. "Not necessarily," he replied with a smirk as he grasped her hand.

The look of confusion on her face made him chuckle quietly as he reached down and lifted her into the saddle.

Admittedly it wasn't his best thought out plan as she had to lean back to rather awkwardly swing her leg over the horse's head... but then that did mean she was leaning into his chest... and it was the perfect excuse to put his hands on her hips to hold her steady...

Vilkas just couldn't resist... "I just don't want to impale you with the sword," he whispered in her ear as she leaned against him. To his immense satisfaction he heard her heart rate jump for a moment and he noticed goosebumps rise along the back of her neck. Yes, he thought, _that_ was a reaction he wanted to get out of her... he grinned.

"Careful Vilkas," she said in a teasing voice as she righted herself in the saddle, "after yesterday's incident I might think you're implying something."

Vilkas could only chuckle at that as he reached around her to take the reins... trying not to think about how he wanted to "impale" her from that position... or about how much he'd like to be in that position without their armor on...

This just might be shaping up to be a good trip...


	9. Admissions and Understandings

A few hours later, Vilkas was just reining the horse off the road so they could stop for lunch, when the smell and sound of a dragon caught his attention. It sounded startlingly close, probably just over the next hill... he'd been too distracted by the scent of Katie's lavender soap to pick up on the dragon sooner...

Then they heard the Dragonborn shouting in response and Vilkas heard Katie's heart rate jump excitedly.

"Come on!" She said sounding almost giddy as she jumped off the horse and pulled out her bow. "We can help!"

"Aye," Vilkas nodded. His own heart was picking up excitedly as well. He would get to see Katie face off with a dragon again... maybe he'd get to impress her this time, maybe she'd actually see him...

But before he'd even finished tying up the horse, she'd run off up the hill without him.

Vilkas ran up the hill, trying to catch up with Katie, but the dragon circled into view first. He pulled out his bow and fired... he was rather proud of that shot... but then the dragon turned toward him... apparently he got its attention. Vilkas felt his adrenaline spike as the huge beast looked directly at him. He readied his bow for another shot as the dragon swooped toward him, but then a steel tipped arrow flew into the dragon's wing and it veered off the the side, and moments later it crashed to the ground as one of the Dragonborn's lightning bolts arched into it. Vilkas didn't think the spell would have downed the beast if it hadn't been already veering toward the ground.

The fight went well after that. Vilkas got his great sword out and kept after the beast, Farkas rushed in with a shield and sword, the Dragonborn kept casting that lightning, and once again, Katie impressed with her bow.

When it was all over Vilkas ran back to Katie. To his relief she smelled uninjured, but he still scolded her for running off without him. Then he was almost immediately distracted by Farkas.

Vilkas hadn't spoken to his brother since he'd angrily stormed off for a hunting trip while Farkas was training Katie... Farkas's hug after the dragon fight told Vilkas he'd been forgiven, but they definitely still needed to talk... Vilkas didn't care for the way he'd also hugged Katie after the fight...

They teased good-naturedly over lunch and when Katie and Summer wandered off to talk under the guise of collecting Katie's arrows, Vilkas stayed back to help Farkas pack up from lunch, glad of the opportunity to apologize.

"I'm sorry I was angry with you brother," Vilkas said sincerely, getting straight to the point as soon as the women were out of earshot.

Farkas just shook his head, "you had a right to be," he sighed. "I'm sorry I made you jealous."

Vilkas just blinked in surprise. He certainly hadn't been expecting that, he felt a little of his anger rising fresh at the idea Farkas had known what he was doing...

"I... I wasn't tryin' to..." Farkas added quickly, looking a little embarrassed, "Summer suggested I train with Katie..."

Vilkas raised his eyebrows in surprised confusion at that and Farkas continued with another sigh...

"I got hurt... fightin' the dragon at Kynesgrove," he admitted, "Summer healed me all up with her magic, but I was still stiff, so we figured I needed a day to train and rest... Summer suggested I train with Katie... I think she feels bad for leavin' her behind."

"I see..." Vilkas sighed... he still had questions, but Farkas continued...

"And I like Katie..." Farkas admitted in a low tone, "she's our friend and I care about her... I was mad at the idea of you toyin' with her like you used to the barmaids..."

Vilkas felt his beast blood stirring angrily, "damn it brother, I'm not toying with her! I—"

"I know," Farkas interrupted, "you love her."

Vilkas felt like the air had been knocked out of him again. It was true... he knew it was... he'd realized that when he dreamed of her... when the notion of having no choice but to marry her had been an appealing idea... but to hear Farkas so bluntly point it out actually made him speechless for a moment.

"I knew you were sweet on her the first day you saw her, but I can tell it's more than that now," Farkas added, still blunt as ever.

"You'd be right," Vilkas sighed, "she's... Ysmir's beard brother... she's a fiery one..." Vilkas shook his head, "she can keep up with me in the training yard, and she's not afraid to mouth off at me _while_ I'm swinging a sword at her... and you should see her hunt..."

"I'd be a liar if I said I hadn't... _noticed_ her too..." Farkas admitted, a little bit of a flush riding up his cheeks as he looked out at the two women, "she's pretty, and she's nice... her body gets the blood goin'..."

Vilkas watched his brother with a furrowed brow as his beast blood began to put territorial thoughts in his head...

"But you don't have to worry about me, brother. I love Summer..." Farkas continued seriously, looking back to Vilkas now, "and she loves me. I'm gonna marry her."

Vilkas raised his eyebrows in surprise, his anger draining away.

"She knows what I am, and she loves me anyway," Farkas added, looking back out to the two women with a genuine smile.

Vilkas blinked in confusion for a moment as he processed those words... "She knows...?"

"I told her," Farkas elaborated. "She was talkin' about what to do after the dragons are done, and I... I want to settle down with her, but I didn't think she'd want me if she knew, but I figured she'd be more hurt if she found out later, so... I told her."

"And she's... ok with it?" Vilkas asked in disbelief.

"She said she's part dragon or something," Farkas grinned, "she said she's not scared of a werewolf."

"Well that's... surprising..." Vilkas said, feeling at a loss for words. He looked back at the two women again... they seemed to be just talking now... Summer had a smile on her face... actually, so did Katie... Vilkas wondered what they were talking about... he wondered if there was any chance Katie would react the same way Summer had to the discovery of their beast blood...

"She wouldn't tell Katie would she?" Vilkas asked, suddenly worried at that thought.

"Summer expects Katie already knows," Farkas shrugged.

"What?" Vilkas looked back to Farkas in confusion again, "how would she know?"

"Don't know," Farkas said with another shrug, "but she always knows what's gonna happen and what we're gonna find. She hasn't been wrong yet."

"I see..." Vilkas's brow furrowed... was that why she ignored his every attempt to flirt with her? But then why would she not give Farkas a similar cold shoulder?

Vilkas just shook his head... Ysmir... this woman didn't make sense...

But at least he could be at ease about one thing... his brother was happy, and he could be happy for his brother.

"So... when are you getting married, brother?" Vilkas asked with a smile.

Farkas shrugged, "we're already goin' to Riften... thinkin' I'll pick up an amulet and ask her properly while we're there."

"I take it you've already asked her _improperly_..." Vilkas chuckled.

"Uh..." Farkas rubbed the back of his neck and looked at his feet for a moment... "does turnin' back from my beast form and kissin' her and tellin' her I wanna build a house and have kids with her count as improper?" Farkas asked a little sheepishly.

Vilkas raised an eyebrow at him, "were you naked?"

"Well, kinda... yeah," Farkas admitted.

"Then very," Vilkas laughed.


	10. Her Secret

Vilkas felt better than he had in weeks as he and Katie got back on the road, and rest of their ride that day was mostly uneventful. As they rode, Vilkas's mind wandered over what Farkas had told him about suspecting Katie knew of their curse... could she?

There wasn't any reasons to think she did... was there?

Would she have the guts to mouth off to him the way she did if she knew?

Would she have joined them in the first place if she knew?

Vilkas's mind suddenly went back to the hunting trips he enjoyed so much... to the way she followed his lead when they hunted... she'd clearly been skilled at hunting before joining them, but she had never questioned him... she just trusted when he told her to wait because there was a deer coming... or that there were pheasants or a rabbit in a tree or bush...

Ria had questioned him the first time he'd told her something like that and they'd lost several kills because of it, but Katie... Katie had just accepted that he knew... simply readied her bow, and waited, and then took the shot... and she never asked how he knew, and she was never surprised that he was right...

Not that any of that meant that she knew he was a cursed beast, she might just trust that he knew what he was doing... but it was a puzzling observation.

At least it gave him something to think about instead of how close he was to the beautiful woman sharing a saddle with him...

After that long of a lunch break they weren't going to make it to an inn before dark, so Vilkas pulled off the road just after sunset in a grassy field that looked like it would make for a nice campsite... for a pair of Nords at least... if he'd been traveling with Ria, Vilkas would have taken the southern road to avoid the Imperial freezing to death overnight.

Vilkas had a bedroll and a couple of animal pelts, and the idea of sleeping out under the stars with Katie seemed lovely, but as they dismounted, Vilkas realized he smelled snow in the clouds. Oh well, they'd just have to make sure they kept a fire going through the night...

Katie seemed uneasy and and Vilkas noticed she quickly set to trying to build a fire while he tended to the horse... once the horse was unsaddled, brushed, and tethered for the night, he turned to find her shivering, huddled in front of a cold, but otherwise expertly built fire...

Vilkas cocked an eyebrow at her in confusion. It wasn't _that_ cold... there were a few snow flurries, but it shouldn't even be cold enough for them to accumulate... it was the kind of crisp air that Vilkas found invigorating...

"You can't possibly be cold in this?" He asked with a chuckle.

To his concern and surprise, she let out a frustrated sigh, dropped her flint and steel, and just wrapped her arms around herself... she looked like she was freezing...

"Can I tell you a secret?" She asked in a bit of a quiet grumble. She sounded... embarrassed?

"Of course," Vilkas replied as he stepped toward her worriedly.

"I'm not sure I'm actually a Nord," she admitted quietly.

Vilkas froze in surprise at that, looking her over in disbelief... how could she not be a Nord? She was the perfect picture of what a Nord woman should be— from her thick blond hair to her beautifully curved but muscled figure... she couldn't possibly be anything but a Nord... but she... she was shivering...

Vilkas reached out and took her hands, and his heart dropped...

"Ysmir's beard, you're freezing!" He exclaimed in shock... her fingers felt like ice.

"I hadn't noticed," Katie grumbled, it sounded like she was gritting her teeth to keep them from chattering.

"For the love of Talos, woman, why didn't you tell me?" Vilkas asked. He quickly pulled out the largest animal pelt he had and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"I didn't even think about it," she replied, and Vilkas could hear her teeth chattering as she pulled the fur tightly around her, "I don't actually know what I am and everyone assumes I'm a Nord so I've never thought to argue," she explained quietly as Vilkas turned to the unlit fire she'd built.

"I see," he nodded. He grabbed the flint and steel she'd dropped and quickly made to light the fire while he tried to wrap his mind around this turn of events. This was bad... he never would have taken the mountain road if he'd known...

Fortunately she really knew how to build a fire, it didn't take him long to get the kindling lit, but there wasn't near enough firewood. He made sure the fire wouldn't go out on her and quickly set off to collect more... his mind nervously running through their options... it would be cold tonight... far too cold for a non-Nord... if she didn't have a tent they were going to need to turn around and head back down the mountain... which would put them back at least a half-day's travel... but it was better than her freezing...

...Or... he could share a bed roll with her... wrap her in his arms and hold her close... he could certainly keep her warm. Images from his dream the night before began to flash through his mind... oh yes... he could keep her very warm... he could...

No. Vilkas shook his head and hurried to pick up more firewood. He was not going to take advantage of his shield-sister. She needed him to be level headed right now... she needed him to take care of her... so, by Ysmir, he would.

Vilkas figured this mess was at least mostly his fault... he should have discussed their route with her before hand... should have warned her that they might be camping in the mountains... should have given her a chance to tell him she wasn't a Nord _before_ she was in danger of freezing to death...

Ysmir that made no sense... she had to be at least part Nord... she certainly wasn't a Breton... maybe she was mostly Nord with some Imperial ancestor and had just lost the genetic lottery?

Vilkas was still puzzling over Katie's heritage when he came back. Katie was huddled up to the fire slowly adjusting the sticks. He sat beside her and fed a few of the larger sticks into the fire, debating what they should do...

A few minutes later she leaned back and pulled a tent from one of her enchanted pockets.

"Oh good, you do have a tent," he said in relief, getting back to his feet. They wouldn't have to head back down the mountain. "Here, let me, you stay by the fire," he instructed gently as he reached for the tent.

Katie looked up at him in wide-eyed surprise. "Ar-aren't I supposed to be proving my strength and honor or something on this trip?" She asked uncertainly.

Vilkas couldn't help but smirk, she was a stubborn one. "Aye," he nodded, "and sometimes that means knowing when to let your shield-brother take care of you."

"A-alright," Katie agreed with an uncertain nod. Vilkas just smiled as he took the tent. He liked taking care of her... and sharing a tent... that was either going to be wonderful... or it was going to be torture...

Once he got the tent set up, he realized it was a little smaller than he'd expected... he might be in trouble...

He sat back down beside her... mind racing over the possibilities before him... he decided to test the waters... to see how she reacted to a little more teasing...

"Had a thought," he began, trying to keep his tone casual, "you don't sleep in the nude do you?"

Vilkas couldn't help but smirk as he heard her heartbeat pick up and she looked up at him with a look of shock... then her eyebrows furrowed and she rolled her eyes at him...

"No," she grumbled, "especially not when I'm camping with a man in the snow."

She sounded irritable, but Vilkas could hear her heart rate, and see the slight blush and smirk she was trying not to let show...

Vilkas chuckled quietly and heard her pulse pick up a little more... this was the reaction he wanted...

Vilkas pulled out the dinner Tilma had packed them... it was all the same... dried meat, cheese and some bread. It was good for the convenience of traveling, but he was wishing he had brought a cook pot to make a good stew. At least Katie didn't complain as they ate.

As they were finishing dinner Vilkas noticed Katie watching him with a thoughtful expression. He raised his eyebrows at her, hoping he looked more curious than hopeful.

"You didn't bring a tent?" She asked.

"I have a bedroll and several animal pelts," Vilkas shook his head, "this weather wouldn't bother me, but I'll share the tent to keep you warmer."

Katie looked utterly shocked at that. "Y-you will?"

"Aye," Vilkas nodded, watching her reaction carefully... "we can't very well go clear out draugr tomorrow if you freeze to death."

"A-alright," Katie said quietly, looking back to the fire.

To Vilkas's relief she seemed surprised, not uncomfortable... and maybe just a little flustered...

Vilkas couldn't help but smile as she handed him her bedroll and he set both bedrolls up inside the tent. He set a couple of saber cat pelts underneath them and then placed both bedrolls so the openings faced each other. They could then put the bear pelt over both of them... Vilkas thought that should give them enough space to make her comfortable, but be close enough to keep her warm... and give her the option to cuddle closer in the night... Vilkas had to step back out into the cold air before he got too carried away with that hope. Then he let Katie into the tent to change for bed, and tried not to think about her naked body being just on the other side of the tent flaps while he waited.

When she told him to come in she was already bundled into her bedroll, predictably as far to one side of the tent as she could get. Vilkas took his armor off and set it by the foot of his bedroll, then pulled off his shirt so he'd give off more heat toward Katie. Without a shirt the air was a bit cold, which meant he'd probably be plenty comfortable under the pelts. Vilkas climbed into his own bedroll to find Katie watching him in mild surprise.

"What's wrong Eagle-eyes?" He smirked.

"N-nothing," she mumbled.

Vilkas wasn't sure if she was cold, or embarrassed, or both. "Don't be afraid to come closer if you need to," he told her in a low, gentle voice.

She looked surprised again but nodded.

Vilkas watched and listened as she slowly began to doze off. She stayed in place on the far side of the tent, and he wanted to reach over and pull her to him... to wrap his arms around her and hold her against his chest... to kiss along the sides of her neck... to smell and taste her...

He took a deep breath and savored her scent instead... he could still smell the hints of her lavender soap, but after all day on the road her feminine musk was a bit stronger, and it was intoxicating.

He was finally starting to doze off himself when she rolled over facing toward him and shifted much closer. He watched as she settled into a deeper sleep... her face was so beautiful and peaceful... Vilkas wasn't sure how he was going to get any sleep.

But he somehow he did finally doze off, and his dreams were filled with images of the things he wished he could do... several times he woke himself up, afraid he'd actually act one one of those dreams, but always found he hadn't moved, and Katie was sleeping peacefully... still beautiful as ever...


	11. Not a Khajiit

Vilkas was woken in the morning by the shift in Katie's breathing that told him she was awake. He opened his eyes to find she'd moved even closer, and appeared to be studying his face... her surprised, curious expression made his heart pick up. Finally, she was really looking at him... she didn't shy away from him when she saw his eyes open...

"Oh good, you survived the night," Vilkas said, chuckling a little to hide how genuinely relieved he was by that.

To his further relief, Katie smirked back at him and didn't pull away. "So did you," she retorted.

Vilkas chuckled at that and then... she smiled at him... by Ysmir, that beautiful smile... Vilkas's heartbeat sped up at the notion that he'd been the one to make her smile like that now... he wanted to lean forward those few inches between them and kiss her, to wrap an arm around her waist and pull her to him like he'd wanted to all night...

But then her cheeks reddened and she looked away from him.

"Thank you," she added quietly. She sounded embarrassed, which made Vilkas smirk.

"Aye, just don't tell the other whelps," he said quietly, "they'll think I'm playing favorites."

Katie looked back to his eyes with a teasing smirk. "You? Favorites? Never..."

Oh how Vilkas wanted to lean in and kiss her... but he didn't trust his beast blood not to get away from him with her laying there so beautifully...

Vilkas chuckled to hide his nerves and climbed out of his bedroll instead.

"I'll get the fire started again," he said, quickly grabbing his armor and pack and heading out of the tent.

The cold air helped him settle down again, and he got dressed and stoked up the fire. Then he decided something warm for breakfast would probably do Katie some good, so he set some of the bread close to the fire to warm up.

A few minutes later she was back outside, still wrapped in the bear pelt he'd given her. He handed her some of the warm bread, which earned him another of her beautiful smiles.

"Thank you," she said, huddling into the pelt and holding the loaf close to her face as she ate.

Vilkas just smiled as he watched her.

"You know," she commented, looking up at him a few moments later, "for the grumpy twin, you really can be sweet."

Vilkas's heart clenched at that. "The grumpy twin huh?" He repeated in confusion. What was that supposed to mean?

"And the scowl's back," Katie sighed with another teasing smirk.

Vilkas rolled his eyes. She didn't make any sense... where had she gotten the idea that he was the grumpy one?

Admittedly, it probably was a fair comparison between him and his brother... but how had she gotten to know Farkas well enough to come to that conclusion? Could Aela or one of the whelps have told her something?

"What?" Katie asked, and Vilkas suddenly realized he'd been staring.

He sighed and shook his head, "you don't make any sense Eagle-eyes."

"Now what'd I do?" She asked, looking confused.

Vilkas just had to chuckle at that... what did she do, indeed... if only he could tell her what she did to him...

"You're the perfect picture of a Nord woman," he admitted, "except that you're wrapped in a bear skin, and huddled by a fire, shivering... How in Oblivion are you not a Nord?" He asked, still looking at her in disbelief.

For a moment he heard her heart jump and it gave him a little boost of confidence, but then she sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I'm actually a bob-tailed, furless Khajiit who can't see in the dark," she retorted.

Vilkas laughed. It was such a ridiculous thing, but she said it with a straight face... alright, he decided... he was going to play along...

With a smirk, he leaned forward... he moved slowly and deliberately, but she still seemed caught off guard as he reached up and gently took hold of her chin... her breath caught in her throat, and he heard her pulse begin to race, but she didn't pull away, in fact, she let him slowly turn her face from side to side.

"No whiskers," he observed, barely managing to keep a straight face. He felt her take a shaky breath as he ran his fingers along her jaw, up toward her ear... her skin was so soft...

Then he tucked her hair behind her ear so he could see her earlobe... he looked at it carefully, gently running his thumb across the top of her ear... there was no pointed tip, no remote hints of elven or Breton ancestry... she looked perfectly Nordic...

"Definitely not cat ears," he shook his head, and he realized she was holding her breath... her heart was racing... was he making her nervous? Vilkas slowly trailed his fingers back down the line of her jaw, watching her reaction... she seemed utterly stunned. "Afraid I'd have to see your tail to believe that," he chuckled as he let his hand drop slowly from her chin.

Katie slowly, quietly let out the breath she'd been holding. She blinked at him with wide eyes, looking at him in confusion and Vilkas smirked as he listened to her pulse race. She didn't seem to know how to respond... she could react confidently to him swinging a sword at her face, but a gentle touch had completely stunned her. Vilkas had suspected she was a virgin simply based on her scent, but now he suspected she'd actually never been even touched by a man... was that why she didn't notice his advances? Was it possible such a beautiful woman wasn't used to having someone flirt with her?

Then she looked down and Vilkas saw the blush creeping up her face.

"Sorry, it's too short," she said quickly, "that would be indecent of me to show you." She starred at the fire and went back to her breakfast, with the blush on her face darkening.

Vilkas laughed. She had no witty comeback now; he'd completely flustered her... with a simple, gentle touch. Vilkas was certain she was a virgin if that was all it took to fluster her that badly. Granted, he was too, but he at least knew how to flirt with an attractive woman... or at least with a barmaid who might bring him some free drinks... he'd never had a woman seriously catch his interest like Katie had before, it was a bit of a relief that he could get that reaction out of her.

Vilkas couldn't stop smiling as he packed up their campsite, which he noticed just seemed to confuse Katie more. He had so many questions he wanted to ask her... so many things he wanted to know. He decided he was going to ask at least some of those questions once they finished clearing out the draugr.


	12. The Newest Companion

Katie's trial had gone smoothly after they got out of the mountains. Vilkas had begun to notice what Farkas meant about her seeming to know things... she navigated the mine as if she'd been there before, and she wasn't even surprised or afraid of the draugr overlord they'd run into. She baffled him.

Little things like him being kind to her would surprise and fluster her, but big things like a draugr overlord or a dragon hardly phased her.

After they cleared the mine and got to an inn, Vilkas had taken advantage of the situation to ask more questions...

He was surprised she hadn't known the Dragonborn longer... he was shocked and infuriated to learn of how the Imperials had nearly executed her... but he was most bothered by what she told him about her family and where she'd been before the Imperials dragged her from her home. She was clearly leaving a few details out, but everything she did say sounded genuine and honest. The idea that she actually believed she was only good for living like a hermit and running her family homestead upset him.

Normally the realization that someone was hiding something from him would make him mistrustful, but the way her eyes watered as she explained how her family had all gone off to do other things just made him want to comfort her.

He wanted her to trust him enough to tell him whatever it was she was leaving out... so instead of questioning her further, he'd told her she'd be a great Companion and bought her dinner.

Vilkas couldn't help but smile the whole ride home... Katie seemed happy and excited, and he distinctly noticed the way her pulse increased when he spoke for her at her formal initiation.

She'd completely misunderstood his reasoning behind wanting to sit by her at the feast that followed, but that was at least largely his fault for the excuse he gave after running Torvar off... but then he'd gotten to sit beside her and listen to the way her pulse continued to increase at points as he proudly told the hall of her triumphs.

Finally, he thought she seemed to be enjoying his company... but the next morning she was just as grumpy again when he told her he'd still be training with her...

As the weeks went on, Vilkas found himself spending most of his nights thinking back over the events of her trial... what she'd said about living as a hermit... the way she'd been surprised when he told her he was glad she didn't want to go back to that life— when he told her she made a better Companion than hermit... the way she'd reacted when he touched her... the way she'd blushed when he told her she was the perfect picture of a Nord woman with the exception of the bearskin...

Vilkas was laying in his room as usual one night, thinking. He wondered if Farkas and Summer knew Katie wasn't a Nord... it seemed to be something she was embarrassed by, but really the only clue that she wasn't a Nord was that she couldn't withstand the cold... she'd been so reluctant to admit it, and then so surprised when he took care of her...

He wondered how long she'd been alone... when was the last time she'd had family be there to take care of her? She gave no indication that her family didn't love her or that they weren't good people... they just weren't there. It explained her earlier comment about having no one to remember her birthday...

The seventh of Frost Fall... Vilkas swore... that was only a few days away. He wanted to do something for her... he should get her something... but what?

She'd just gotten her new sword, and the dagger he'd given her was still serving her well... he'd have to save up a bit longer to be able to afford a recurve bow nicer than the one she already had.

She had a few dresses, and hardly ever found enough excuse to wear those... not to mention he had no idea how he'd go about finding one that would fit her... not unless the things were adjustable at least...

He'd never seen her wear any jewelry... she didn't seem the type to want anything exceptionally fancy... Vilkas realized it was one of the things he liked about her... she didn’t _need_ to dress up. She could just be herself, and she was beautiful.

...But what if he could get her some jewelry that was useful?

...Eorland frequently made jewelry for his wife to sell, and she'd frequently get some of the pieces enchanted...

Vilkas had never cared much for enchanted items... not beyond his enchanted pockets and gear packs at least... he’d always scoffed at people who relied on enchanted weapons or armor...

Katie was a perfectly capable warrior without any magic or enchantments... but he had noticed how she loved the convenience of enchanted pockets...

What if he could get her something for convenience? Something to keep her from having to admit to anyone else that she wasn’t a Nord?

Vilkas didn’t know a lot about enchantments, but he was pretty sure ones like that existed... and he could certainly pick out something like a necklace or ring that would look good on her...

The next morning he got up early and headed out to the market. Frailia had just opened her stall...

“Shiny trinkets for your good lady!” She called out to potential customers. “All crafted by the great Eorlund Gray-Mane himself!"

Vilkas couldn’t help but smirk as he approached. That was exactly what he was looking for...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was short, but I had to post something today! ;)


	13. A Hunting Trip and a Daydream

Fralia had actually known exactly the enchantment he was looking for... Vilkas hadn't even realized that exactly such an enchantment existed; Fralia could actually get a piece of jewelry enchanted to give the wearer the same cold resistance as a Nord. Katie would never have to admit to anyone else that she wasn't a Nord if she didn't want to... she could sleep out under the stars with him on a crisp night and enjoy the invigorating cold air... it was perfect.

He'd found a gold pendant with Nordic designs that was smooth enough that she should be able to wear it comfortably under her armor, or even sleep in it. Vilkas also imagined how lovely she would look in that simple blue dress she sometimes wore, with that gold pendant resting just above her breasts. It was the right shade of gold to bring out the gold highlights in her hair, and Fralia had promised to have it ready the day before her birthday.

So, on the sixth of Frost Fall, Vilkas had gotten out early again... he was just coming back to Jorrvaskr with a smile on his face... Katie's birthday gift in a small box, tucked securely in one of the enchanted pockets of his armor. It was their turn for the hunting trip that morning, and Vilkas always loved seeing Katie hunt.

He had just started to open the door when the sounds of Katie and Ria having a quiet debate caught his ears...

"I'm not going in his room," Katie said in a slightly hissed whisper, "what if he sleeps in the nude?"

Vilkas froze, listening curiously... were they talking about him? Who else could they be talking about?

"That sounds more like a good excuse to go in there..." Ria replied in a teasing voice.

"Ria!" Katie gasped... it sounded like one of them shoved the other, and he heard Ria giggle...

Vilkas felt his face turning red, he hoped the girl wasn't actually serious about him...

"Alright," Katie said sounding flustered, "you can go in there then! I'm not."

"Oh no," Ria protested, " _I'm_ not the one who could get away with it."

"Like I am?"

"You get away with everything with Vilkas," Ria insisted.

Great, Vilkas thought, even the whelps were catching on now...

"How do you figure?" Katie argued, "he takes everything out on me in the training yard! Besides, _I'm_ not the one who wants to see that..."

Vilkas's heart jumped... those words should have stung, but the way he could hear her heart speeding up at the thought told him they weren't entirely true... just the idea that she was thinking about seeing him in the nude in the first place was making his heart race... not to mention the fact that she couldn't _confidently_ say that she didn't want to...

"You sure about that?" Ria teased.

Vilkas wanted to see Katie's face... he carefully eased the door open and stepped inside... he missed whatever Katie said as he did so, but he could see now that she looked thoroughly flustered.

"Because you thought of it," Ria giggled.

"Thought of what?" Vilkas asked with a smirk. Both women jumped and spun around to face him, and Vilkas hardly managed to stifle a laugh. Ria looked startled and a little embarrassed, and Katie's whole face and ears were several shades darker than normal.

"Where the fuck did you come from?" Katie snapped.

Vilkas did laugh at that, and he realized Ria had a point... Eagle-eyes was the only whelp who could get away with speaking to him like that.

"I had an errand to run," he explained, still chuckling, a moment later. "What were you two arguing about?"

"Nothing," Katie grumbled quickly.

"We thought you were still asleep," Ria added, sheepishly.

"So what did that make you think of, Eagle-eyes?" Vilkas asked, looking back to Katie with a smirk.

"Nothing," Katie grumbled again, refusing to meet his eye.

Ysmir, she was adorable. "You're awfully red in the face for nothing," Vilkas teased.

"We were debating if we should go wake you up, geez!" Katie groaned, "don't we have somewhere to be?"

"Aye," Vilkas nodded, still chuckling, "I've packed lunch, let's go."

They walked out of Whiterun and headed south. Vilkas adored the way he could see Katie practically light up with excitement as they got further into the woods. He could tell she really loved being out on the hunt, and her joy was contagious.

Katie never seemed to think much of her shooting, but she was far better than him or Ria. By lunch they had gotten several rabbits and pheasants... half of which were shot by Katie, but Tilma had asked for a deer, so they weren't done.

Vilkas took them to his favorite spot by the lake for lunch... it was southwest of Riverwood, nearly into Falkreath... it never got quite as cold in the winter, which meant it kept that crisp autumn air feeling much longer before the bitter cold set in. Vilkas had always thought this was where he'd build a house if he ever settled down. Perfect cold water for swimming in in the summer, lovely cool air the autumn and spring, and only a couple of months of freezing winter.

Vilkas watched Katie as she ate her lunch, sitting out on one of the rocks, looking out at the serine lake. Her eyes matched the blue that was reflected in the water... she looked happy...

Vilkas wondered if she'd want to build a house here... if he could ever convince her to have him...

He thought of building a house with her... imagined her sitting like that on a balcony that overlooked that lake... wearing that blue dress of hers... with her hair down... and a child in her lap...

Ysmir, he was getting a bit ahead of himself, wasn’t he? But still, Vilkas couldn’t help but picture a little girl, just like Katie but with hair the same color as his... He imagined Katie sitting out by that lake, braiding a little girl’s hair, and smiling like she was now...

Then he was suddenly pulled from his thoughts by Ria nudging him with her elbow.

"What?" He grumbled quietly.

For answer Ria just smirked knowingly at him and cut her eyes meaningfully towards Katie.

"Shut up," Vilkas sighed, shaking his head.

"I didn't say anything," Ria giggled.

"Your face did," Vilkas grumbled in reply.

"So did yours," Ria teased.

Vilkas sighed and ran a hand down his face. He had no comeback... at least Eagle-eyes hadn't caught him staring like that... though part of him wondered how she'd react if she had...

"Come on," he groaned as he got to his feet, "we still need to get a deer before heading home."

Katie turned at that, looking happy to get back to the hunt, and her smile brought Vilkas straight back to his daydream for a brief moment. He quickly shook himself back to reality... he needed to focus...


	14. Bandits

It took Vilkas a little while, but he did manage to pick up the trail of a large deer. He tracked it northwards for a little ways before they finally caught sight of it... but unfortunately, they were upwind of it and just as Katie was lining up her shot, it caught their scents and bolted.

Ria took off after it, and Vilkas was about to... but then he noticed there was an old, abandoned looking tower not far off, and another scent reached his nose; blood, iron, and unwashed men... he yelled for Ria to stop, but she was already too far.

"Damn it, that tower'll have bandits inside no doubt," Vilkas warned Katie before running after Ria.

He chased her around a few boulders and caught up to her just outside of the old tower, just in time to draw his great sword and intercept an axe that was swung at Ria's startled face.

Vilkas counted three of them on the ground, but could smell at least two more. All three of them were Nords, and the largest one went straight for Ria... at least he was only wearing hide armor, if she was smart about it the girl had a chance, but Vilkas still worried. He did at least manage to hold back the two in heavy armor. Thinking they had the advantage made the bandits cocky and Vilkas was able to take one of them down quickly, but then the other got a little smarter.

Vilkas suddenly heard a loud, distinctive thud not far behind him and spared a glance just long enough to make sure it wasn't a new threat... it was another bandit, dead on the ground... Vilkas turned his attention back to his opponent with a little added confidence, knowing Eagle-eyes had his back.

Moments later he heard another archer shooting, but the arrows weren't flying toward him or Ria... he hoped Katie was ok... surely she couldn't be out matched by a bandit...

Finally, Vilkas out matched his enemy. The man made a classic, careless mistake, and Vilkas got his sword past the man's armor, into his stomach and sliced upward in one fluid motion, and the bandit's innards spilled at his feet.

Vilkas turned from that to see Ria get under the other man's center of gravity, knock him off balance, and stab the large bandit in the throat.

Satisfied that she'd handled that, Vilkas turned to the dead bandit that had landed behind him... he had a broken bow with an arrow still on the string, and an orchish arrow sticking straight into his skull through his eye socket.

Then another arrow fired into the trees from the top of the tower, but before Vilkas could even figure out exactly where it had come from, another orchish arrow flew from where Vilkas had guessed Katie was hiding and he heard a the distinctive gurgled gasp of a person taking an arrow to the throat. Moments later all was still.

Vilkas sighed and wiped the blood from his sword before sheathing it.

"Damn it girl!" He yelled, turning to Ria, "did you not see the abandoned looking tower?"

"I'm sorry," Ria trembled in response, "I was following the deer, I was afraid you were going to yell at me for losing the deer!"

Vilkas pulled out one of his cleaning rags and began wiping the blood from his armor. "You need to pay more attention to your surroundings," he growled, "we could have gotten— where's Eagle-eyes?" Vilkas stopped mid-sentence to scan their surroundings... the bandits were dead, she should have rejoined them by now...

Vilkas rushed to the last place he'd seen an arrow fly from. To his relief she wasn't hard to find, but... she didn't look well...

Katie was getting sick in the grass beside the large boulder... Vilkas approached carefully... she didn't look injured... and she didn't smell injured... or poisoned...

It reminded Vilkas of the first time he'd had an adrenaline rush on a full stomach... he'd been a boy hunting with Skjor, and he and Farkas had gotten on the wrong end of some mammoths right after lunch... when they were done running for their lives they'd both thrown up and Skjor told them it served them right...

Vilkas looked Katie over in concern... she'd gone very pale and was trembling and dry-heaving now. He suspected her problem was more than just adrenaline on a full stomach. Vilkas knelt down beside her and pulled her braid back from over her shoulder and collected a few of the strands that had fallen into her face... he rested a hand tentatively on her back...

"There you go," he said gently, "it's alright..." he rubbed her back a little as she gasped for air.

"Was she poisoned?" Ria asked in alarm, "I think I've got a cure disease potion or something..."

"No, just get her some water," Vilkas shook his head, "she's alright."

Katie leaned back shakily and Vilkas let go of her hair, but kept his other hand supportively at her back

"Are you sure?" Ria asked, "she's pretty pale..."

"Aye," Vilkas nodded as the girl handed him her spare water skin. "Come on Eagle-eyes," he said gently looking back to Katie... she was very pale... "you're ok," he hoped at least... she seemed shaken up over something. Ria nervously staring over his shoulder certainly wasn't helping anything though...

"Go see if there's anything worthwhile in that tower," he said looking back at Ria, "and see if you can collect her arrows."

"Alright," Ria sighed before turning away.

At least now Vilkas could think...

"Not a fan of bandits I take it?" He asked gently once Ria was gone.

"You could say that," Katie choked out.

It was a relief to hear her voice. Vilkas handed her a rag and the water skin and waited while she drank and wiped her face. She didn't seem any worse for the wear now that she was calming down.

"Some history?" He prodded sympathetically.

"N-not exactly," she sighed, "I'm sorry... I..." she took a deep breath, "I just don't like actually killing people..." she admitted. "I mean, I have no problem doing it if it's them or me, or them or you, or... you know... defense..." she added quickly...

She sounded nervous... was she ashamed to admit to him that she didn't like killing people?

"...but..." she started again in a shaky voice.

"It's alright," Vilkas interrupted her gently. He still remembered the first time he'd had to kill a person... he'd almost gotten sick... Farkas actually had gotten sick... "Farkas used to get just as sick at the blood shed when we were whelps," he told her. "If you enjoyed killing people I supposed you might have to be one of those damned assassins instead of a Companion..." he glanced back at the man on the ground with the broken bow... as the realization sank in... he knew she'd saved him... but now she was sick because she'd killed a man... for him...

"There's no honor in murder..." he said looking back to her with a sincere smile, "but the gods themselves couldn't fault you for defending your shield-siblings... and judging by that archer who hit the ground over there," he nodded toward the body, "I suspect you saved me from an arrow in the back, so thank you."

Katie finally looked up at him and gave him a weak smile in return before she went back to the water skin.

Vilkas watched as she drank the rest of the water and some color began coming back to her cheeks. He was pretty sure they weren't going to get that deer, not with their best archer out of commission...

He'd have to just buy Tilma some beef to cook... he wasn't happy that that was going to cut into his funds, but it would be better for Katie to just get home and rest. He could spend the coin if it was for her.

Then Ria returned, looking a little perplexed...

"How many arrows did you shoot?" She asked, "because I can only find two..."

"Two," Katie smirked.

Vilkas just stared at Katie in surprise for a moment... two bandits and only two arrows... and then she'd gotten sick over the fact she'd killed people... this woman made no sense... but still, she was impressive...

"Oh and they all had a bit of gold," Ria added, handing Vilkas a nice sized coin purse...

Vilkas grinned at that... that beef wasn't going to cut into his funds after all.


	15. The Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s short, but enjoy!

To Vilkas's relief, he'd noticed Katie eating and acting like her normal self at dinner. He also noticed the way she smiled when he told the rest of the hall of their impressive exploits that afternoon. Of how Katie hadn't wasted a single arrow, and then Ria defeated a man nearly twice her size. He left out the fact that it was Ria's blunder that had gotten them into that mess, and that Katie had gotten sick... a fact they both seemed grateful for.

After dinner Vilkas got more thoroughly cleaned up and then sat in his room waiting for all the whelps to go to bed... he didn't want any of them to see him leaving the gift... everyone but Katie seemed to have already figured him out, he didn't need to give them anything else to use against him...

He’d thought about giving it to her in person but decided against it... it would likely be afternoon by the time he’d be able to talk to her alone, and he wanted her day to start with that gift. He wanted her birthday to begin with the discovery that she had been remembered and that someone cared for her.

He pulled out a roll of paper and cut out a small square with his dagger, just small enough to fit inside the box with the necklace. Then he pulled out his quill and ink...

" _Happy Birthday —love, Vilkas_ "

No... Vilkas crumpled up that piece of paper and cut a new one.

" _Eagle-eyes, I have admired you since the first day I saw you. Please accept this gift on your birthday as a token of my love and affect..._ "

...that didn't all fit on the page...

He crumpled that one up too... maybe that was something he wanted to tell her in person anyway...

" _Katie, Happy Birthday_ "

... he was about to sign it but stopped... would she figure it out if he didn't?

She should... he had no idea who else knew when her birthday was, but he was pretty sure he'd be the only one who knew her secret...

He wondered how she'd react... imagined her asking around, trying to figure it out...  
He imagined her hoping it was from him... then imagined her smile when he told her she was just as beautiful as he imagined when he'd picked out the necklace...

Then he'd tell her... he'd tell her how she amazed him the first time he saw her fight... how she impressed him when he trained her... how he'd completely fallen for her since she'd joined them...  
  
He didn't sign the note and just folded it and placed it gently on top of the necklace and closed the box.  
He waited another two hours before he felt confident everyone in the hallway was sound asleep.

Vilkas never was as stealthy as Farkas, but without his armor on, he could at least avoid waking a bunch of tired and probably drunk whelps. He would never have tried sneaking into the room where Skjor or Aela were sleeping, but they at least had their doors closed now.

He crept into the common room and paused a moment... when no one stirred he stepped closer to Katie's sleeping form on the bed beside the door... she looked so peaceful... so beautiful...

Vilkas gently placed the box on the nightstand beside her head before turning back to her. He could smell her lavender soap again... he imagined her sleeping that peacefully beside him in his bed... Ysmir, he wanted that... he wanted to reach down, run his fingers through her hair, and kiss her... but he held back. He shouldn't touch her... not like this... it wouldn't be right.

"Happy Birthday, my love," he whispered instead, so quietly that he hardly heard it himself over the sounds of everyone else sleeping in the room.

Then he made his retreat. Hopefully in the morning he'd be able to say those words to her where she could hear him...

Vilkas managed to get some sleep, but he was so nervous and excited he got up earlier than normal. He sat down for breakfast in a seat where he'd be able to see as soon as Katie came upstairs... and no sooner had he sat down, then he caught a whiff of her scent as the doors opened downstairs.

Moments later he saw her and couldn't keep the smile from his face. She was ready for the day, in her leather armor with her hair braided as usual, but now there was a shimmering gold necklace around her neck... and she smiled beautifully at him the moment her eyes met his.

Vilkas's heart leapt. She'd figured it out.  
She was walking toward him...

Vilkas was about to get up and get her a plate and ask her to join him, when the front doors suddenly burst open, and Vilkas nearly jumped out of his seat with a start instead.

"Hey, shield-siblings," Farkas's voice boomed happily across the hall, "meet your shield-sister-in-law!"

Vilkas blinked in shock... he'd known and been expecting that Farkas would be getting married... but what in Oblivion was Farkas wearing?

And why in Oblivion did they have to interrupt _now_?!


	16. The Seventh of Frost Fall

Vilkas got quickly to his feet and made his way over to the couple as Farkas set Summer back on her feet.

His brother was a married man... Vilkas never thought he'd see the day...

He also never thought he'd see his brother wearing... was that black leather armor? And a cape?

Vilkas gave them both a hug.

Yes, it was black leather... and there was a hood hanging at Farkas's back that Vilkas absolutely could not imagine his brother wearing... but still, Farkas was happy...

"I'm happy for you both," Vilkas grinned, "and you look... like you've got quite the story to tell," he added looking from Farkas's attire to his new sister-in-law's... she was still wearing the amulet of Mara, and those looked like some particularly nice mages robes, the likes of which Vilkas had never seen.

"It's been... an _eventful_ month," Summer nodded.

"Happy ending though," Farkas grinned at her.

"I'd more call it a happy beginning," Summer smiled back at him.

Vilkas had never seen his brother so happy, and that was saying something because Farkas was usually the happier of the two of them. It warmed his heart and he couldn't help but smile too.

He was about to tell them he couldn't wait to hear all about it, but the other Companions began yelling their congratulations over him. Skjor made a comment about him marrying a mage, which prompted Farkas to yell back about marrying his love...

Which made Vilkas's attention wander back to his love... but then his heart dropped.

Katie had frozen in place, her attention had shifted from him to Farkas and Summer... she was smiling, but it looked like a forced smile... and, they never fell, but Vilkas could smell tears in her eyes.

He didn't understand...

She hadn't seen Farkas in over a month. She had been happy at Jorrvaskr. She had been smiling at him, not Farkas, for weeks now. Vilkas knew he had made her heart race on more than one occasion...

But here she was, blinking back her tears with a forced smile as she walked up to give the newlyweds her congratulations as well.

She at least seemed genuinely happy for them as she gave Summer a hug, but Vilkas could see her eyes were still moist... and she didn't even glance back to him...

Instead of all their usual plans for the day, the whole hall celebrated. Their shield-siblings all wanted to get to know Summer better, so they'd gone outside so she could show them some of her shouts and her skills with magic.

Farkas told him about all the useful things Summer could do with her spells, and promised him that his new sister-in-law didn't use necromancy. Vilkas wasn't sure he'd ever be completely comfortable with magic, but he supposed he could at least get used to having a mage in the family... the healing magic sounded useful at least.

He tried to bring Katie into the conversation several times, but she didn't seem to be paying any attention. She didn't even talk when Tilma brought lunch outside.

It occurred to Vilkas that after the last time Farkas had been home, he'd told Katie that the next time he came back he'd show her who was stronger... he smirked slightly at the thought.

After lunch he challenged Farkas to a fistfight for old time's sake. Farkas seemed as excited about that idea as he was.

Vilkas tried to catch Katie's eye as Farkas took off his cape, but found she was watching Farkas. His heart dropped further.

As he and Farkas squared up, he thought she looked his way... in an effort to win her attention back, he gave her a quick wink. He smirked as he saw her cock an eyebrow in surprised confusion at him... and he thought he heard her pulse jump, but if he wanted to show off, he was definitely going to need to focus on his brother. Farkas was quicker than he used to be now that he was wearing lighter armor, but Vilkas was determined to have a good fight. He was pretty sure Farkas had figured that out, because after a rather good, drawn out match, Farkas either made a sloppy mistake, or he let Vilkas get him into a grapple, and then off balance him for a throw.

Vilkas caught Katie's eye again as he threw his brother solidly to the ground, and winked at her again. He was sure he heard a jump in her pulse that time... maybe there was hope...

Farkas was a good sport, and just joked about being tired after his night with his new wife.

Vilkas was so put off by that mental image Farkas had managed to beat him in the rematch, but Katie didn't seem to be paying attention by then.

By dinner time she seemed to be withdrawing from everyone. Vilkas was sure she felt left out, it was her birthday and the whole day had been spent celebrating someone else.

Vilkas felt an odd combination of happiness for his brother, and concern and heartache over Katie's reactions to it all. He tried at several more points to motion her over to him, or involve her in the conversation, but she hardly looked at him. He made up his mind that once the newlyweds left, he'd turn the night into a celebration for her.

Finally, the whole hall had a final toast to Farkas and Summer and cheered as Farkas scooped Summer into his arms and carried her back out the door.

"Now, for the other woman of the hour," Vilkas grinned as he lifted his mug again, but as he turned back to the hall he found Katie was nowhere to be seen.

Vilkas blinked. He must have gotten a little more drunk than he'd realized if she'd managed to get away without him noticing...

But where was she?

Vilkas's heart clenched in his chest... she wouldn't leave them... would she?

He didn't care that the rest of his shield-siblings were attentively waiting for him to explain and finish the toast he'd been about to make. He put his mug down and headed outside.

Once outside on the back porch he took a deep breath, both to clear his head and try to catch her scent...

He could smell her, but she hadn't been outside since before dinner. He sighed in relief as he made his way back inside.

He noticed Skjor and Aela giving him a look as he headed down stairs, but the rest of the Companions had returned to their drinks and food and didn't pay him much attention.

Her scent was stronger downstairs, and he was able to follow it to the women's baths... that seemed to be the place she hid when she wanted to be left alone.

Vilkas waited for several minutes before heading back upstairs to make Ria go check on her.


	17. Confessions

Vilkas couldn't handle this anymore. Rejection would be better than her looking right through him. He thought she was finally noticing him. He thought she was over his brother.

That morning she'd smiled so beautifully at him... that smile had been for him... not Farkas...

But now Ria had just come back out to tell him Katie was crying in the bath.

Farkas was married, and Katie had hidden herself away to cry about it.

Vilkas couldn't take that.

He almost barged into the women's baths himself, but he wasn't quite drunk enough for that yet... not to mention he wasn't sure how that would help... probably make matters worse actually.

His beast blood certainly wasn't helping. The wolf spirit kept putting thoughts in his head of just taking her... of going to her in the bath and kissing her until she forgot all about Farkas... of then pinning her beneath him and...

No... Vilkas thought back to his dream he'd had of taking her... how in the back of his mind he'd felt guilty for not marrying her first... he didn't want that...

Vilkas took a deep breath and went to the men's bath for a quick wash instead. He cleaned up and put on his casual clothes. He went with his dark grey shirt... it was one of his few shirts that he didn't mind sometimes wearing out in public instead of his armor.

Then he sat down and took several moments to try and clear his mind...

He wasn't going to do anything drastic... but he needed to talk to her... maybe he could try to cheer her up... maybe he could actually get her to tell him how she'd gotten so infatuated with his brother... then maybe he could help her get over him...

Yes, that's what he needed to do... he should be the steadfast friend that she needed. He should let her know that she could confide in him, that he'd be here for her, that he'd take care of her...

Then, when her broken heart healed, maybe she could love him instead... and if not, hopefully that would give him enough time to heal his own broken heart and he could still be there for her.

With a deep sigh, Vilkas got to his feet and made his way back down the hall. Katie's scent was fresher in the hall than it had been before he went to wash... it was easy to follow, and to his relief, Vilkas found her sitting on her bed in the common room...

...with a bottle of mead in her hands...

She was wearing her blue dress with the necklace he'd gotten her hanging just above her breasts... her hair was down, and still slightly damp... she was so beautiful...

Vilkas hadn't tried to be quiet as he approached, but she hadn't noticed him. She was staring straight ahead, looking lost in thought.

Vilkas knocked gently at the doorframe and she turned to him with a start. Vilkas's heart clenched when she looked at him. Her eyes were a little bloodshot, and they looked puffy from crying. He suddenly didn't care if she rejected him or not, he just wanted to cheer her up.

"You know it's more fun to drink with your comrades upstairs," he said, trying to keep his voice calm.

Katie took a deep breath, "sorry," she sighed, "I'm not in the mood."

"What's wrong?" Vilkas asked gently, almost pleadingly.

"I..." she took another deep breath and looked away. "Nothing," she grumbled quietly, "I just want to wallow in my self pity, alone."

Vilkas felt like he'd been punched in the gut again, but he couldn't let her go like this... he watched for a moment as she took another drink from her bottle of mead... an idea slowly forming in his mind...

"My brother has a bar in his room," Vilkas told her quietly a few moments later. "Shall we go see what he left it stocked with?" He suggested hopefully.

"What?" Katie looked suddenly up at him in surprise and confusion.

"Come on," Vilkas nodded down the hall, "I doubt he'll miss it."

To Vilkas's relief, she got up slowly, and followed him wordlessly down to Farkas's room...

"Let's see..." Vilkas said stepping behind the bar and examining the selection. There was actually more left behind than he'd expected... "he's got some original Honningbrew... that's hard to find these days..." Vilkas commented, trying to sound more upbeat as he handed her a bottle and opened one for himself. Then Vilkas sat down in front of the bar and took a long drink as he watched Katie...

For several moments she just stood in the center of the room, looking surprised and confused and watching him a little suspiciously.

"You know," Vilkas said hoping to bring up a happier topic, "I was picturing you in that dress when I picked out that necklace..."

He heard her heart jump at that and he couldn't help the small smile growing on his face.

"Thank you," she smiled.

Vilkas smiled more as he watched her looked down at the necklace, running her fingers gently across it.

"It's easily the most thoughtful gift anyone's ever gotten me," she said looking back up at him.

Her beautiful smile made Vilkas instantly feel ten times better.

"You've figured out what it does then?" He asked.

"Mmhmm," she nodded, "Tilma was able to tell by looking at it. Ria and Njada laughed because they thought I was a Nord of course..."

Vilkas chuckled and rolled his eyes. Of course they'd laughed, but he didn't care.

"Ria thought it was from a secret admirer," Katie continued, making Vilkas's heart jump, "but I figured out it was you," she added, and Vilkas felt like he'd been punched again.

"I see," he managed before going back to his drink. Even faced with the direct suggestion that he was an admirer who'd gotten a gift for her she didn't realize he was interested in her.

"Took me a minute to remember I'd told you my birthday," Katie added, still smiling at him, "I'm impressed you remembered it."

"I'm good with details," he shrugged simply.

Katie paused a moment, looking a little confused before she turned and sat down in the chair beside the bed.

Vilkas focused on his drink for a moment, trying to remind himself that his original goal had been to cheer her up, and maybe get her to confide in him...

He finished his drink and grabbed another... he wasn't sure if the alcohol was helping or making things worse at this point.

"So Eagle-eyes," he began with a sigh, "why aren't you in a mood to enjoy the company upstairs?" His voice sounded sad and pitiful even to him, but he had to ask, "is it my brother and his new wife?"

Katie looked up at him with wide eyes, looking startled. "N-no," she said quickly. She looked and sounded entirely dishonest.

Vilkas just gave her a skeptical look, waiting for her to say more.

Katie sighed, "I mean, not really," she admitted. "I'm happy for them... they're my friends, and I'm so glad they're happy together..."

Vilkas hung on her every word as she explained... this sounded good so far...

"Summer's been smitten with him since he helped us fight the first dragon. I'm glad he feels the same, and I'm glad they're together." Katie took a deep breath. "Honestly, I guess it just reminds me that I'm alone," she said with another sigh.

"Would it help if I grew my hair out?" Vilkas asked bluntly. He hadn't meant to say it out loud... he surely never would have made such a slip while sober... the look of shocked surprise on Katie's face would have been funny if it didn't hurt his heart so much.

"Wha... n-no, your hair is fine..." Katie replied...

Vilkas watched her expression shift slowly from shock and confusion to disbelief... he could tell she was thinking hard now and the alcohol certainly wasn't helping her either...

But then he heard her pulse suddenly jump and he couldn't take his eyes off of her... how could this be the first time it had even occurred to her that she had gotten his attention?

She looked back up at him and met his eyes with a look of disbelief, and... was that hope? Or was he too drunk to read her expression now? But she definitely didn't seem to fully understand his meaning...

Vilkas sighed, "for such a smart woman, Katie, I swear you can be as slow as my brother." He shook his head while he downed his bottle of mead. The bottles were going down a little too easily now... he should probably think about slowing down...

When he looked back to Katie she had her hand at her necklace again and was watching him with an expression that definitely seemed to be more hopeful than confused now, but still mostly disbelief. He could hear her heart going at what was probably a nervous pace now...

"Wh-why aren't you in a mood to enjoy the company upstairs?" She asked once his eyes met hers again.

Vilkas took a deep breath. He wanted so badly to tell her everything... but was now the right time? She did ask... he was pretty sure he was too drunk to give her a convincing lie... he took another long drink before he put the bottle down and sighed.

"The company I wanted to enjoy left shortly after my brother did," he admitted seriously, "and then Ria told me she was crying in the bath..."

To Vilkas's surprise he heard her pulse jump more at that and... was she blushing? Ysmir, that was adorable...

Suddenly she downed the rest of her own drink at the speed Vilkas had been drinking his, and got to her feet. She looked for a moment like she was coming toward him, but then she faltered and looked to be about to topple over instead.

Without thinking, Vilkas jumped up and closed the distance between them. He meant to reach out and grab her arm to hold her steady, but she pitched forward and toppled into him.

His arm wrapped almost reflexively around her waist and pulled her firmly against his chest as one of her arms landed across his shoulders, and her other hand pressed lightly against his stomach.

Vilkas's breath caught in his throat... she fit so perfectly in his arm like that... he could feel her toned muscles beneath her dress, but her breasts were soft against his chest... she wasn't anything like the barmaids he used to flirt with; she was strong, not bony, and her waist was slim because of her muscle tone, not because she'd stuffed and squeezed herself into a corset...

And holding her like this... her scent was intoxicating...

"S-Sorry," Katie said quietly as she pulled her hand back from his stomach...

Vilkas noticed she had an even darker blush across her face now, and he could hear her heart going at a similar rate to his own. He didn't want to let go of her...

He brought a hand up to gently sweep a few strands of her hair out of her face as he looked down into her eyes. He wanted so badly to kiss her, but he knew he shouldn't... she was clearly drunk to be stumbling like that, he just hadn't thought she smelled strongly enough of alcohol to be that drunk...

Her pulse began to race even more as he looked down into her eyes like that, and Vilkas couldn't help but smirk.

"You've either had a lot more to drink than I realized, or that worked a lot better than I'd hoped it would..." he teased.

That earned him an even darker blush as she adorably tried to hide her face from him.

"Shut up," she grumbled, but there was no force behind the words. "I... I just st-stood up too quick and..." she trailed off as Vilkas chuckled.

He guided her carefully to the barstool beside the one he'd been sitting on. She seemed steady enough now, but he didn't want to make any assumptions... he had to tell her... he couldn't take advantage of his drunk shield-sister, he had to tell her how he felt for her... he had to see her response...

"The truth is..." he began, reaching for another bottle, "that day we fought the dragon at the watchtower was also the day Farkas fell for Summer... but my brother wasn't the only one who fell for a beautiful woman that day."

Vilkas watched for her reaction, but she didn't seem to understand... she was looking at him in disbelief again...

Vilkas sighed and went on, "I saw an amazing woman, fearless in the face of the most terrifying beast I'd ever seen... shooting into the sky, unwavering, while the Jarl's trained men ran and pissed themselves..." he'd definitely had a little too much to drink... the words were just coming out now, Katie's wide eyes prompting him to continue... "but she never saw me looking at her... I just had to watch her stare after my brother." He hoped he wasn't imagining the surprised, hopeful look in Katie's eyes now... "It feels like that's all I've been doing these last months..." he admitted sadly, "watching the woman I love long for my brother... with no idea that I long for her..." Vilkas trailed off to a whisper... he'd said it... he'd told her he loved her... and she just stared back at him in shock...

But her gaze never left his, and slowly, her expression began to look more hopeful than disbelieving, and then Vilkas dared to hope she actually looked happily surprised...

Then he heard her heart skip again... had she finally understood?

This hadn't remotely been his plan when he invited her to have a drink, but he was too drunk to stop himself at this point. He reached out and took her hand, and instead of pulling away, she gently squeezed his fingers and almost leaned closer.

"My heart breaks every time I see the way you look at him..." Vilkas admitted quietly. "I just can't stand to let you cry like that over my clueless brother..."

She wasn't denying it, and she wasn't pulling away from him... he leaned forward and gently brought his other hand up to cup the side of her face...

"Katie," he whispered sadly, "I know you wanted my brother but, please... please let me love you instea—"

He was cut off when Katie leaned forward and kissed him.

It was exactly what he'd wanted and the last thing he expected. He didn't give her a chance to pull away before he wrapped both arms around her waist and kissed her back. He nearly fell off the barstool, and had to catch himself with an arm against the bar, but he still wasn't letting her go.

To his surprise she opened her lips to deepen the kiss and Vilkas, happily and eagerly complied. She tasted strongly of mead, but she was still better than his every dream. He hoped desperately that this wasn't all just because she was drunk...

When they naturally broke for air Vilkas kept his arms firmly around her, resting his forehead against hers, catching his breath, and praying this wasn't all about to end.

"Vilkas..." Katie said in a breathless whisper that gave him chills, "I... I don't want to be with Farkas."

Vilkas's breath caught in his throat at that, and he slowly pulled back to look her in the eyes in shocked, hopeful confusion. "You... don't want my brother?" He asked, hardly daring to believe he'd understood her.

"I thought I did at one point," she admitted, sounding honest, "but I've been getting over him since I realized he loves Summer."

Vilkas sighed in relief. "I'd hoped you were," he whispered, "but when Ria told me you were crying... I thought..." he trailed off as Katie shook her head.

"I just felt alone," she explained, "Farkas is a good man and a genuine friend, but I think I could enjoy being with his twin much better..." she smiled up at him... that beautiful smile.

Vilkas looked into her eyes in surprise... she looked back at him and held his gaze, and Vilkas's heart leapt as he realized she was being completely genuine...

"Can... can you forgive me for being so slow to catch on?" She added sheepishly.

Vilkas's face broke into a genuine grin at that. She was so beautiful and adorable he couldn't help but chuckle. Finally, finally he had won her attention.

"Aye," he said with a grin, "I think could enjoy making sure you don't have to feel alone."

She looked so happy at that Vilkas didn't hesitate to pull her back into a passionate kiss.


	18. Drunken Ramblings

Vilkas could feel Katie's movements getting sloppier... she was drunk... he was pretty sure she was more drunk than he was... in the back of his mind he knew he should stop, but he didn't want to... he finally had his beautiful woman in his arms... and he was just a little too drunk to listen to his own better judgement...

He kissed along her neck and let his hands roam, far more than he normally would have dared... far more than he ever had with another woman before...

He loved how he could feel the blood pumping through her veins as he ran his lips and tongue along the pulse points in her neck... how he could smell her blood flowing so close beneath her skin... and the way she leaned her head back to give him better access to her neck nearly drove him crazy...

With one hand at the base of her neck and his arm firmly across her back, he trailed his other hand down to her hips... she had wide, strong hips that definitely put a few ideas in his head... and his hand traveled lower...

"I don't feel any tail," he teased as he groped her bottom.

"I might... have joked... about... the khajiit thing..." Katie panted breathlessly as Vilkas chuckled against the side of her neck.

He continued kissing and touching everywhere he could, but he was starting to realize she didn't just taste like alcohol, he could smell the alcohol in her blood. It was a bit of a sobering realization... this wasn't right... he needed to stop...

With a sigh, he slowly pulled back.

"You are drunk, my love," he whispered with a smirk.

"I might be," she sighed, looking up at him with a glazed look. Her words were mostly clear, but her normal accent had a slight lisp to it. She leaned heavily into his embrace and smiled tiredly up at him.

Vilkas chuckled and gently guided her back toward the bed. She needed to sleep, they could continue this when she was sober.

When he laid her down on the bed she suddenly looked up at him with wide eyes and her pulse suddenly sounded nearly panicked...

"Vilkas... I... I'm a virgin..."

Vilkas couldn't help but chuckle... "I know," he said gently as he lay down beside her and wrapped her back in his arms. "I am too." He kissed her cheek as she looked back at him in confusion at that. "Don't worry," he smirked, "I just want to hold you tonight. I want our first time to be..." Vilkas trailed off, he'd been about to say on their wedding night, but he didn't want to propose while she was this drunk... "memorable," he smiled instead...

Katie was still looking at him in glassy-eyed confusion. "You're a virgin?" She asked with raised eyebrows.

"Aye," Vilkas nodded, running his fingers through her hair.

"But... you... you're so... sexy..." she mumbled staring up at him.

Vilkas's face split into a huge grin. "Am I?" He chuckled.

"Mmhmm," she nodded tiredly and brought a hand up to gently stroke the side of his face. She ran her thumb gently over his brow. "You're eyes are such an intense light blue..." she breathed.

Vilkas was a little surprised by that, most women who complimented his appearance mentioned his muscles first...

"...your voice... and your smirk..." she mumbled, drowsily letting her hand drop back to the bed.

"I've also grown up in a hall of warriors that prides ourselves on our honor," Vilkas chuckled, "I've been waiting for the right woman."

"Mmm..." Katie hummed in understanding. She closed her eyes with a sigh as Vilkas continued stroking her hair...

"I'm surprised someone as beautiful as you isn't spoken for already too," he whispered a moment later. Her eyes stayed closed, but she smiled. "The moment I saw you, I feared I'd never get this chance," Vilkas admitted...

She smiled more, but she seemed to be falling asleep now... she was so beautiful in his arms.

Vilkas just smiled as he watched her for several moments, hardly daring to believe this turn of events... but then his happy mood was suddenly shattered by a sickening realization... would she still be laying here like this if she knew what he was?

He remembered what Farkas had said about telling Summer about their curse...

He should tell her... he wished he'd told her before she fell asleep... now, he thought, he'd have to wait till morning...

But then Vilkas shifted to get a little more comfortable for the night, and Katie's eyes blinked open again.

"I have to tell you a secret, my love," he whispered before he could talk himself out of it.

She blinked up at him, looking as if she was trying to focus on his face.

"Before this goes much further..." he said regretfully, "you should know... I... I'm cursed..." he began sadly.

"I know," Katie replied quietly.

Vilkas blinked in surprise, but she was looking sincerely back into his eyes now. "You know...?"

"You're a werewolf," she nodded, "the whole Circle is... I know."

It was Vilkas's turn to stare in disbelief now... Farkas had been right... she knew...

"And you... you're ok with that?" He asked in shock. "You're willing to be with a beast like me?"

"I trust you," she nodded. "I know..." she trailed off with a nonsensical mumble as she closed her eyes and cuddled into him. "...I'll help you get cured if you want to..." she added, turning her head so she was no longer mumbling into his chest.

Vilkas just stared down at her in shock for several moments... "there... is no cure," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"There is," she nodded, eyes still closed, "we just have to reforge Wuuthrad, and kill the Glenmoril witches, then we can go to the tomb of Ysgramor and cure all of you that want it."

" _What?_ "

"That's how to cure the Companions," she blinked up at him matter-of-factly before closing her eyes again.

Vilkas blinked again... "how... how could you know... any of that?"

Katie blinked her eyes open again, "hmm?"

"How do you know?" Vilkas asked again.

She looked like she suddenly woke up just a little more and Vilkas watched her expression for several moments as she seemed to have suddenly realized what all she'd just said... "I... I have to tell you a secret too..." she said, suddenly blushing nervously, "I haven't told anyone because I didn't want people to think I was crazy... I... I especially didn't want you to think I was crazy... and throw me out..."

Vilkas raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I could never send you away," he assured her gently.

"I... I still really don't understand it..." she shook her head, "I don't want you to think I'm crazy... I... I don't want to lose you..."

"Tell me love," Vilkas whispered pleadingly. He kissed her cheek and then her forehead. "I can't think of anything that would make me let you go... not if you're willing to have me."

As he said that his more rational mind was racing through the possibilities... what secret could she possibly have that she thought was worse than being a werewolf?

Had she delved into some black magic that had given her access to unattainable knowledge? Had she made a deal with Hermeaus Mora?

Vilkas quickly considered that... he wouldn't like it, but he still wouldn't let her go over it... he'd unwittingly made a deal with Hircine after all...

"I... I'm not from Skyrim..." she whispered.

Vilkas blinked... "I guessed that from your accent, love," he smirked at her.

"I'm not from Tamriel," she clarified, "uh... not from Nirn."

"What?" Vilkas sat back up and considered her carefully. She was trying very hard to look up at him seriously, but she still only looked half awake, she was very drunk... but there was nothing about her that seemed at all dishonest... but that didn't make any sense... he'd heard of people being trapped in planes of Oblivion, like Hermeaus Mora's, but never of someone coming from somewhere that wasn't this plane of existence...

"I... I don't know how to explain it..." she said again, sounding nervous, "I came from an entirely different world... I still don't understand how I got here..."

Tears began forming in her eyes again, as if she'd just admitted a secret that had been weighing on her for a while. She wasn't making any sense, but Vilkas couldn't disbelieve her.

"I don't think you're crazy," he assured her gently leaning back down and wrapping his arms around her again.

Katie sniffled and looked back at him in surprise. "You don't?"

"No," Vilkas shook his head, "I don't understand, but I suppose I've heard of crazier things. Dragons came back after thousands of years... I suppose anything is possible."

Katie let out a relieved sounding sigh that made Vilkas smile. She'd actually thought he could let her go over that?

He supposed she could actually be crazy... maybe suffering from a head wound... but he was fairly certain that wasn't the case... and even if it was, that wouldn't be something to leave her over, that was something he would want to help her work through.

"Tell me about where you came from," he encouraged curiously.

"Well..." she took another deep breath and looked to be lost in thought, trying to remember through her drunkenness... "it... it's a world without magic," she said slowly. "There's a lot more technology... different foods... different animals... some of them at least..." she yawned, "it's a lot bigger... there's a lot more countries..."

Vilkas listened as she rambled... most of it didn't make any sense. She talked about vehicles that moved by themselves at great speeds, and machines bigger than dragons that could fly... there was only one moon, and people had flown up and landed on it... she tried to explain several varieties of moving pictures that people could interact with and see stories or play games with... some that fit in the palm of the hand, and others that took up entire large walls...

Finally she began slurring her words more and getting a little harder to follow, but Vilkas's curiosity was getting the better of him now and he wasn't ready to let her sleep.

"Don't go to sleep on me yet, love," he pleaded. He kissed her cheek and gently shook her shoulder. "You still haven't told me how this means you know anything about Skyrim..."

"There was a video game about Skyrim that I played..." she slurred sleepily.

"A what?"

"Hmm?" She blinked sleepily up at him again.

"What's a videogame?" Vilkas asked.

"Oh... uh..." she blinked again and shook her head like she was trying to get her bearings again... her pulse actually sounded like she’d been startled back awake, "it's... uh... so, in my world Skyrim was... uh... like a story... but... you could control a character and sort of interact with the story..."

Vilkas raised an eyebrow in confusion. "A story you interact with," he repeated, he could only think of one thing like that... "like one of those fiction books that tells you which page to turn to based on what you want the main character to do?"

"Sort of..." she nodded slowly, "but it's also—wait, they have those here?" Katie cut herself off, looking suddenly surprised.

"What?"

"You have books like that here?"

"Ah. Not many in Skyrim," Vilkas shook his head, "Jergen brought me one the one time he made a trip home from the war, he said he'd bring me more like it the next time he came back from Cyrodiil, but he never came back after that."

"Oh," she said, looking suddenly sad. Then she began looking drowsy again...

"So what was the story of Skyrim like?" Vilkas prodded curiously.

"Oh... it's... it's about the Dragonborn defeating Alduin..." she replied, closing her eyes again. "It starts with getting almost executed at Helgen... then going to Whiterun, meeting the Companions... then Summer takes Farkas with her to the Throat of the World, and the Thieves Guild, and the Mages' College... and they get married, and defeat Alduin, and build a house..." she yawned, "you can pick a side in the civil war, and join the Dark Brotherhood, or destroy the Dark Brotherhood... and you can join the Companions and become a werewolf... and then find the cure for Kodlak so he can go to Sovengarde..."

"So you know how to find the cure..." Vilkas said slowly.

"Mmhmm," she nodded.

"Was I in this story?" He asked curiously.

"Mmhmm," she nodded again, "you're mostly an asshole until you get cured..."

"I get cured?" Vilkas asked in surprise.

"If the Dragonborn joins the Companions," she nodded... "I hadn't done that with Summer before I woke up here... but I'm here now... I bet we can do it without..." she trailed off mumbling and slurring words a bit more.

Vilkas kissed her forehead again, he wanted to know so much more, but he realized he probably should let her sleep... hopefully he'd get more out of her when she was sober.

"That would certainly be something, love," he smiled down at her instead.

"Mmhmm," she nodded, and Vilkas kissed her once more before letting her doze soundly off.

Vilkas lay awake for at least another hour, thinking over what Katie had told him. Trying to wrap his mind around the idea that she was from another world... that Skyrim was fiction in her world.

Her world sounded like fiction to him— stories of people flying up to the moon and such... but it explained a lot...

She'd known the story of Skyrim from the Dragonborn's perspective... from the perspective that had fallen in love with Farkas... from the perspective that knew Vilkas as simply the grumpy twin...

Actually, he thought, this explained almost everything... she wasn't surprised by or afraid of dragons, or draugr, or giants... because she she knew how things were going to turn out... because to her this was all a fictional story turned real...

She was surprised by him doing things that were gentle, kind, or flirtatious, because that wasn't a side of him the Dragonborn would have seen...

It suddenly made sense...

Or at least _she_ did... nothing about this situation made sense. The existence of another world in the first place was difficult to believe...

How had she gotten here?

Was some god or daedra toying with her?

What did all of this mean for her future?

Could she even have a future here with him?

What would she choose if she were suddenly given the option to return to her own world?

There were a lot of questions he was going to need to ask her in the morning.


	19. The Morning

Vilkas woke the next morning with a slight headache, and Katie pushing against him, trying to squirm out of his arms.

"Katie..." he groaned in protest. He wasn't ready to be awake. He wasn't ready to let her out of his grasp... but then he realized that her heart beat sounded absolutely frantic... "What's wrong?" He asked quickly, waking up more fully. His heart dropped as he realized she'd been trying to get away from him. He quickly loosened his grip, but she didn't move now.

"Vilkas?" Her voice was quiet... she sounded surprised and confused...

Vilkas felt a sense of dread settling in... had she been so drunk that she didn't remember?

"Aye," he replied quietly, "who else would I be?"

"I... I wasn't dreaming?" She whispered.

Vilkas's feeling of dread faded at that... she sounded _hopeful_... her pulse was calming down, and she had stopped trying to get away as soon as she realized it was him.

He chuckled in relief as he wrapped his other arm around her, pulled her closer and rolled on to his back. He heard her breath catch in her throat as he held her on top of him... Ysmir she was so beautiful right there... just waking up with her hair a mess... leaning into him with her hands splayed out across his chest... and she was just staring down at him in awe.

"You saying you have dreams like last night?" He asked with a grin.

But then he heard her pulse jump, and she suddenly began to smell nervous... she didn't move, but Vilkas watched her eyes darting around... she was trying to figure out what happened... some of his dread returned...

"Katie..." he began in a low voice, " _please_ tell me you remember last night..." he whispered desperately. He held his breath, as she swallowed and took a deep breath...

"I... I don't remember ending up in bed," she admitted nervously.

"But you remember that I love you?" He asked hopefully, still barely daring to breath.

"Yes," she smiled, "that's the part I thought was a dream..."

Vilkas let out the breath he'd been holding in a relieved sigh, then his heart skipped as he realized she looked genuinely surprised and happy to realize she hadn't been dreaming. He smiled warmly up at her... maybe now he could start over and have that conversation with her while they were both sober... maybe he'd understand it all better...

Vilkas reached up to run his fingers through her tousled hair, but she suddenly winced and he froze.

"...and I have the hangover of the century," she grimaced, "please don't make me do anything today?"

Vilkas chuckled and assured her he just wanted to hold her and talk today before getting up to find a potion for her hangover. He wasn't surprised she had a hangover, especially if she'd been drunk enough to have forgotten most of their evening. He was particularly glad he'd managed to control himself now. He would have hated to have gone further than he had without her remembering... as it was he was a little ashamed of how he'd groped her... she hadn't seemed to mind at all at the time, but now that he knew just how drunk she'd been he felt like he'd taken advantage.

He found a potion on a shelf behind Farkas's bar... it looked and smelled like a healing potion... but he was a little suspicious of how much dust was on it... it typically took potions a long time to go bad, but knowing Farkas he took an experimental sip first just to be safe...

When his own mild headache cleared and no foul side effects followed, he brought the potion to Katie and helped her sit up to drink it.

He loved the way she leaned into his embrace in relief as the potion took effect.

He started to ask what she remembered... her reaction to hearing again that he was a virgin too was almost exactly like her reaction had been the night before. Vilkas couldn't help but laugh at that... but it also told him clearly that she really didn't remember anything she'd said after a certain point.

He was a little worried she'd be more apprehensive about being with a werewolf now that she was sober... that was a conversation they'd need to have all over again, Vilkas realized... not to mention everything she'd told him about where she'd come from...

But Vilkas didn't think he could stand to smell Farkas's scent on her any longer... he had half a mind to just carry her off to the bath chamber and lock the door so none of the other men could get in... but given how she'd nearly panicked the night before when he'd simply laid her in the bed, Vilkas was pretty sure it was much too soon for something like that...

So instead, he'd plodded off to the washroom alone after she'd agreed to wash up in the women's baths and then meet him at his room.

Vilkas washed quickly; he'd already washed the night before so the only thing he needed to wash off now was the musty stink from sleeping his brother's old bed. He was drying off and about to get dressed again when Skjor walked in.

Skjor looked him over appraisingly before furrowing his brow and inhaling deeply through the nose... then the older warrior scowled...

"What?" Vilkas demanded defensively as he quickly grabbed his clean pants.

Skjor grabbed for the pile of Vilkas's discarded clothes and smelled them...

"Skjor, what in Oblivion are you—"

"Damn it," Skjor grumbled loudly, interrupting Vilkas's bewildered question.

Vilkas just stared back at the older warrior in confusion, waiting for the man to explain himself.

"Smells like I lost the bet," he sighed throwing Vilkas's clothes back in the basket.

"The _what_?" Vilkas asked indignantly.

"The bet on how you'd finally get the whelp," Skjor elaborated sounding grumpy, "I bet fifty septims you'd finally snap and go pin her down somewhere... kind of like what we all know you've been wanting to do in the training yard for a few weeks now..."

Vilkas felt his face heat with an angry flush. "I have more control than that," he growled irritably.

"Normally sure," Skjor shrugged, "but you've been denying your transformations so long I figured it was only a matter of time."

Vilkas clenched his fists and let a low, angry growl rumble up from his chest. "Who else bet?" He asked, only half wanting to know the answer.

Skjor shrugged again as he continued to get ready for his own bath... "Aela bet Katie would finally figure it out and go get in your bed," he said nonchalantly...

Vilkas felt his face heating up again... he was definitely never going to admit to any of them that that had basically been the premise of one of his dreams...

"Njada bet you'd pin her out in the yard or something and just kiss her... Athis bet she'd figure it out and just kiss you... Torvar bet you'd both get drunk and wake up naked in someone's bed..."

Vilkas clapped his hand to his face at that... he was also never going to admit how close they'd come to that scenario being a possibility...

"And then Ria got all sappy on us and bet you'd tell her how you feel in some romantic way or something..."

Vilkas let out a chuckle at that...

"And Kodlak and Tilma—"

"Ysmir! How many of you were in on this?" Vilkas interrupted in surprise.

"Pretty much everyone but Brill," Skjor chuckled.

Vilkas clapped a hand to his face again in embarrassment... "by Ysmir," he groaned.

"So there's a lot of money riding on who won..." Skjor pressed.

Vilkas sighed. This would figure... he got dressed as he contemplated what he was willing to tell the older warrior... hopefully they'd all drop it once they figured out who won...

"Alright," he grumbled finally, "I didn't lose control, and no one ended up naked," Vilkas shook his head.

"Yeah, I could already smell that Aela, Torvar, and I lost..." Skjor grumbled.

Vilkas rolled his eyes. "There isn't much to tell... I decided I had to talk to her, so I brought her somewhere private to have a drink and I told her I love her," he admitted. "She agreed to be with me, so now that she's sober, I need to make sure she meant it. If she'll have me I'll take her to Riften."

"Oh..." Skjor just blinked at him in surprise for a moment, "that's... pretty much _exactly_ what Kodlak thought you'd do..."

Vilkas smirked. That made him feel better; at least Kodlak had known he would be honorable... but he was still irritated with the assumptions everyone else had made.

"He didn't put any money on it though..." Skjor continued, "I guess... _Ria_ won?"

"I'd go with Ria if I had to say," Vilkas sighed, "were she and Kodlak the only ones who bet on me remembering my honor?" He asked grumpily.

"Tilma agreed with Kodlak, but also didn't bet any money." Skjor shook his head, "I just... damn... I never took you for the sappy type..."

Vilkas rolled his eyes, but he still couldn’t keep the smirk from his face... "I never thought I was either..." he chuckled, "but then I'd never met a woman like Eagle-eyes."

Skjor groaned in mock disgust, which just made Vilkas chuckle more as he made his way back down the hall to wait for Katie. He decided didn’t care what the rest of them thought anymore... 


	20. A Married Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter to wrap this story up and get set for the sequel.

Even sober Katie didn't change her mind about being with a werewolf... she even offered to help him find the cure all over again... but then she had nearly panicked when Vilkas told her she'd told him her secret too.

Vilkas found it wonderfully ironic that she seemed to need as much reassurance that he still wanted her as he'd needed that she really wanted him...

But she really did want to be with him... she'd said it like a realization that had suddenly struck her, but she loved him too.

The moment she said those simple three words, Vilkas hadn't cared about the rest of it...

It didn't matter that she seemed to be avoiding telling him about the interactive story that she knew as Skyrim, or that she was from a bizarre sounding alternate plane of existence and didn't know how she got to Skyrim.

She loved him.

She wanted to be with him— not Farkas.

Katie... the beautiful archer with the nerve to stare down a dragon... the skilled warrior who could shoot a bandit out of a tower window without wasting a single arrow... the whelp who could spout witty retorts at him in the training yard... his favorite training partner... Eagle-eyes... loved him.

Vilkas proposed on the spot... and Katie said yes.

It took her another week to get used to the idea, which Vilkas could understand... especially when she explained how different relationships and weddings were in her world.

Vilkas was glad they were in Skyrim... he didn't think he could have handled waiting so long to have her...

He did his best to get her some of the things she would have had for a wedding in her world... once they got to Riften he went out and bought her a new dress and got her some flowers...

There were several things he didn't understand still, but Vilkas didn't think he could be happier.

He had planned to bring up the cure for their beast blood that she had mentioned while drunk, but once she agreed to marry him he'd entirely forgotten. It wasn't until about a week after their wedding he suddenly remembered... when he smelled her body cycling toward the time she'd be able to conceive his child... something he wouldn't have been able to sense without the beast blood...

Vilkas found himself suddenly torn... he'd been resolved for so long he wanted nothing to do with Hircine anymore... he wanted Sovengarde for his spirit home at the end of his days...

But oh how he loved the way he could smell and hear Katie's blood flowing in her veins when he kissed her... when he kissed her neck and she leaned her head to give him better access to her pulse points... the things he could smell and hear and discern about her body that he would never know if he were just a man... and after their wedding night, as they'd leisurely made their way back to Whiterun, Katie had decided to see how he liked chasing her through the woods... he especially couldn't get enough of the way he could smell her adrenaline rush...

He wasn't sure he was ready to give all that up... especially when Katie expressed a desire to wait a little while before having children. Vilkas wasn't sure how he'd figure out things like that if he couldn't smell those subtle changes in her.

He decided he could wait to be cleansed... he could wait to talk about it, either until she brought it up, or until they found the rest of the fragments of Wuuthrad...

He would bring it up if the opportunity presented itself otherwise... but for now... Vilkas found himself more content than he ever imagined he'd be.

Weeks rolled into months. The Dragonborn defeated Alduin, and she and Farkas began settling down, making plans to build a house too... for a brief time Vilkas was afraid Farkas would go take the spot by the lake he'd wanted, but they purchased a plot of land on the border between Falkreath and Whiterun instead, actually across the lake from the spot Vilkas wanted to build on.

Vilkas and Katie spent their days training, hunting, and taking jobs around the hold to save up for the property they wanted, and then of course all the materials it would take to build a proper homestead...

Then they got into Evening Star and their hunting efforts doubled up in preparation for the feasts. Vilkas thought Katie's excitement at the preparations was adorable.

He used to find the extra hunting trips tedious, but he didn't think he'd ever tire of hunting with Eagle-eyes.

Then one afternoon, they were out hunting again, Vilkas had been on the trail of a deer south of Whiterun in a section of woods he knew well, when they happened upon a cabin he'd never seen before... it was a house of sorts, but beyond that it didn't look like any cabin he'd ever seen.

The roof had cut wooden shingles, and the walls were built of logs with a hardened clay packed between them... and there were large, reddish stones built into a chimney on one side... both the clay and the stones clearly hadn’t come from any of the surrounding areas, and the logs even didn’t smell right...

He was just about to approach and investigate when he suddenly realized Katie's scent had gotten fainter behind him...

He turned with a start to find her staring in utter shock at the small building, and as Vilkas stepped back toward her, he suddenly couldn't smell her at all... she stumbled, almost like she was drunk and she seemed to be slipping straight through the ground. She suddenly looked almost like an illusion from a dream... Vilkas's heart dropped. He called her name but she didn't respond as he rushed back to her side. Her arms flailed out, trying to grab hold of something.

"No, no, no, no, no..." Vilkas heard her repeating, but she sounded unnaturally far away...

He reached for her but she seemed continuously out of reach... then he finally got to her but... she passed straight through him as if she were a ghost.

"Ysmir, no..." Vilkas pleaded, desperately trying again to grab hold of her while she reached for him... she was actually becoming see through now... like she was fading from reality... "Mara, please," Vilkas begged, frantically grasping at the slowly fading image of his wife...

Just before she faded completely, his wedding ring made contact with something solid and he grabbed hold of her hand... but the moment she became solid the ground underneath his feet seemed to vanish, and instead of holding her steady, he was falling with her.

It was a dizzying fall. It was like he'd fallen out of reality. He couldn't tell if he was falling or spinning, but he held on until he suddenly impacted a firm wooden bed frame.

A large room slowly came into focus... he had landed in what seemed to be a standard bed, but there was an odd, slick material beneath him.

"Ysmir's beard, I'm going to be sick..." Vilkas groaned, as he rolled slowly to his side.

Katie was sitting beside him, looking up at him in shock.

"What in Oblivion was that?" He asked, trying to get his bearings. It smelled like there was a fire in the other room, but he couldn't place the other scents around him.

He tried to gently massage his temples for a moment; his head was pounding. He was being completely bombarded with scents he'd never smelled before as he tried to recover from the dizziness of what had just happened.

With a gentle shake of his head he tried to focus on his surroundings... he glanced around the room before focusing on Katie. She was still just staring at him in shock, blinking back tears.

"Are you alright love?" He asked in concern.

"Y-you came with me..." Katie whispered in disbelief.

"Aye," Vilkas sighed, "it would seem Lady Mara answered my frantic prayer as you were disappearing..." he reached out and took her hand gently. Their wedding rings clicked gently as he did so, and he realized that was what had happened when he finally caught hold of her. "I tried catching you," he explained, "but you passed right through my arms... until our wedding rings touched and I suddenly had something solid to hold onto... but then I fell right along with you..."

For a moment he just looked at their wedding bands in amazement... he'd been right, they were bound by Mara, so he'd gotten to stay with her... he was still disoriented and didn't understand what was going on, but he hadn't lost Katie...

Then Vilkas was pulled from his thoughts as Katie got up and threw her arms around him. Vilkas was happy to pull her into a tight hug and just hold her. Her scent gave him something familiar to focus on.

"I'm so glad you're still with me," she sighed.

"Me too love," Vilkas smiled, "now you can show me your world."

"I guess I can," Katie smiled too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m still brainstorming the sequel on this one, I expect to start writing it once I finish “To Protect the Dragonborn,” but I might get started sooner if time and inspiration permits.


End file.
